Jackson Junior 09: Separated
by drgemini86
Summary: Sequel to Commanders, as Sam balances being the military head of the SGC and of SG1 with married life and motherhood, Daniel must take another path. DoctorWhoTen and Charmed crossover. SamDaniel, CamVala, JonasCarolyn, Teal'cIshta, JackSara
1. Goings On

_**Jackson Junior: Separated, by DrGemini86  
**__**Summary: **__Sequel to Jackson Junior: Commanders, set a couple of months after the Christmas party. As Sam balances being the military head of the SGC and the head of SG-1 with married life and motherhood, Daniel is forced to follow another path.  
__**Pairings: **__SamDaniel, CamVala, ShWeir, Lornifer, Teal'cIsh'ta, JackSara, JonasCarolyn, McCarson  
__**Genres: **__Angst, AU, Crossover, Drama, Family, Romance, Sci-Fi  
__**Rating: **__T  
__**Spoilers: **__everything…__  
__**A/N: **__The basic premise of this story is influenced by the Leo-Piper story arc in Charmed, and the girls will drop in along with the Doctor. As with Stargate, Charmed and Doctor Who don't belong to me… wow, there goes my yacht…_

_Oh… as with Commanders, italics and apostrophes/single quotes means psychic conversation_

_Reviews rock, by the way – don't be shy – I'm not psychic_

_If you don't like SamDaniel, what are you doing here?!_

_--------------------_

SG-1, consisting of Sam, Cam, Daniel, Teal'c, and Jonas, emerged from the active event horizon, down the gate ramp and into the gateroom at the SGC. As the gateroom personnel lowered their weapons, stowing them away in the armoury, Elizabeth, standing at the base of the ramp and acting as Daniel's civilian second-in-command, said with a smile,

"Welcome back, SG-1."

The team smiled at her, Sam replying, "Thanks, Liz…"

She turned to Daniel who said with a little shrug, feigning exasperation, "You know, you're technically in command of the base, Colonel… Fine. Debrief in two hours – get yourselves down to Doctor Quinn. Happy?"

Sam laughed, Cam patting the Archaeologist on the back as she led her team out, Daniel remarking to an amused Elizabeth, "That's what I get for marrying an Air Force officer."

'_Well, to be honest Daniel, I miss General Landry… actually, I miss General O'Neill. At least he was funny._'

'_Hey, I can be funny._'

'_Don't I know it… come on Jackson, no frowning – you're cuter when you're not._'

Daniel rolled his eyes as he walked with his friends to the Infirmary, and Cam remarked, "What I'd do to be a psychic… actually, on second thoughts, I could do without Vala having another channel by which to be on my case."

Teal'c asked, "When will ValaMalDoran's maternity leave end?"

"Oh, a couple of months… it's Feb now…uh, April. The poor girl's getting stir-crazy."

Sam remarked, "Well, come on, she's not used to sitting at home after everything that she's done not only with SG-1 but before that."

'_Thank you very much, Sam…_'

'_Daniel, stop feeling so guilty about it - you got the ship back._'

'_Yeah, after being beaten, hit on… did I mention beaten?_'

Jonas said, exhaling, "I can't wait for her to come back – she's a lot of fun."

Teal'c smiled slightly as Cam looked at the Kelownan oddly, remarking, "Carolyn and I aren't going to have to take turns kicking your ass, are we?"

Jonas rolled his eyes and retorted, "I did mean as a friend, _Colonel._"

Sam turned around as Cam opened his mouth to reply, right before they entered the Infirmary, saying, her eyebrow going up briefly, "Mitchell, stop being so insecure."

She walked into the Infirmary as Daniel patted Cam on the shoulder, saying with a little smile, "You got told."

He walked past the southern Colonel with Teal'c and Jonas, leaving Cam to glare at their retreating figures before following suit for their customary post-mission medical examinations, stopping briefly to say 'hi' to Carson.

--------------------

SG-1 sat around the briefing table with Elizabeth, Daniel saying, "Well, we would have to prioritise according to levels of technology and culture. A Free Jaffa Embassy won't work in a place like Edora where they are definitely not ready to open their minds up to interstellar travel, but it could work on Hebridan."

Elizabeth said, her chin propped up on her hand, "We would have to conduct negotiations with each world."

Sam exhaled and said, her arms folded on the table in front of her, "We are light years away from that – the Jaffa have only just sworn in the new council. They have still to sort themselves out, and we've still got the Lucian Alliance hating our guts for cracking down on their hemp ring."

Everyone smiled, and Cam remarked, rolling his eyes briefly, "Colonel, that was highly addictive corn not pot."

"Same difference."

'_Way to sound like Jack, honey._'

'_Daniel, come on, when have I ever been so in tune with things around here? I'm finally able to relax… Definitely not fishing though._'

'_I thought not._'

Teal'c said, "The Free Jaffa are far from being a fully functional nation yet – they require time."

Jonas replied, "Well, they're getting it, unless the, ah, Lucian Alliance take it upon themselves to be false gods… it could be a rotational thing, we don't know."

Everyone else exchanged little glances and Daniel remarked, glancing at Cam, "I think our boy just cracked a joke."

Sam chuckled, adding, "Must be the morphine… we better watch out he doesn't start singing Daisy, Daisy any time soon. Anywho…"

Daniel smiled briefly at mention of a word that he used frequently, and she continued, looking around at her friends, "Ok, I think we're done here. Reports by tonight or tomorrow. Dismissed."


	2. Feelings

Later that night, back at the Carter-Jackson residence, Daniel lay on the bed reading a book, idly smoothing his stomach with one hand. He smiled slightly on hearing the shower switch off and a few minutes later, Sam appeared, dressed in a t-shirt, her hair damp. He smiled as he put the book down and she joined him on the bed, remarking as she smoothed his stomach, snuggling up to him,

"I can't believe they're four already… and that Duality of ours is nearly a year old."

Smiling, he slowly ran his fingers through her hair, replying quietly as he gazed into the distant, "How time flies…"

He looked down at her, kissing her gently on the neck and said, "I like working with you… you're fun."

She laughed and he continued with a shrug, "You keep dragging me out of my office, just like you promised. I really don't know how you do all that paperwork."

"Oh, I have my ways… you know for someone with Whitelighter powers, you get tired quickly."

"That's because I haven't had my spinach."

She laughed again and remarked, "You're way too straight to go around doing impressions of Popeye."

He raised his eyebrows briefly and retorted, "Only an hour ago, I was gay… what's up?"

"Would you rather be gay?"

"Well, I wouldn't have to give into your nymphomaniac demands… although, it would be boring."

She playfully hit him in the arm and kissed him, remarking with a fond smile as she smoothed his hair back, "I, for one, am glad that you aren't gay… I mean, I'm not saying that…"

"Sam, are you trying to give me to Jack? If you are, I'm not interested – I got a better deal."

He gazed at her softly and said, his eyes suddenly fearful, "I don't want to lose you, ok?"

Worried and not getting much from him telepathically, she asked, holding him closer, "Daniel? What's wrong?"

He shook his head and replied, his eyes closed as he rested his head against her bosom, "I don't know what it is but I just feel like I'm going to lose you. It's a weird feeling that I've never had before."

Holding him in her arms, she ran her fingers through his short hair, playing with the soft strands as she said, kissing his temple, "I can't promise you anything Daniel, but I'm not going anywhere. Could this be related to your powers?"

His muffled reply came, "I don't know. It might be. I have been able to see the future sometimes just these past few days."

"You knew Krau'nac was going to storm into the chamber."

He nodded and said after a pause, his voice small, "I'm scared."

She felt wetness seep through to skin and she kissed his hair, saying softly, tears in her eyes, "I'm still here, Daniel. I was given a second chance."

He began to cry, replying, "What if you don't come back the next time? What if you're lost to me forever?"

"No Daniel. Don't. Please don't worry yourself into anaemia with what-ifs… Wasn't it you who told me that if we spent our time thinking about the _what-ifs_ and _maybes_, we would be wasting our time? I don't know what's going to happen but the fact is that now… now that the Goa'uld, the Replicators, and the Ori are out of the picture; it is very unlikely that we're going to lose each other. The odds were higher before, but we've come through it. We're going to be fine."

"I hope so. The ten months you were in Atlantis really sucked."

She smiled against his hair and reached up to switch the light off, whispering, "I'll never leave you on purpose, Daniel…"

"I won't either."

"We'll be fine… that feeling is probably just anxiety or paranoia."

"Yeah, make me look mad."

"Honey, I don't need to do that."


	3. Decisions

Sam sat in her office, Cam and Jack in the seats opposite as she said, "Liz and Shep won't go back until Charlotte's a bit older. The President's willing to give Charlotte security clearance, but for the time being, they're staying on Earth until they decide what they're doing and whether Atlantis is safe enough for a child."

Jack remarked with a shrug, "It's a shame that Doctor Keller's knocked up, because she'd be good... What about McKay?"

Cam replied, glancing at Sam who looked thoughtful, "Well Sir, he could be a good choice but I've noticed that he works better when his life is threatened and, to be honest, I don't think Atlantis is going to get…"

"Never say never Mitchell. You've still got the Genii hanging about… they're like the Lucian Alliance around this neck of the woods, but point taken – he hasn't really had much leadership experience and don't get me started about diplomacy... What we need is another Daniel."

Sam smiled in amusement and said, "He's not going to go and even if he wants to, there is no way in Hell that I'm letting him… Sir."

"Me and you both, but I beat you, Carter – I was stopping him years back."

"He still talks about it. Anyway…"

Intrigued, Jack asked, "He _still_ talks about it? Yeesh, that man…"

Raising an eyebrow at the General, Sam said, "Moving on… We're going to have to get one of Daniel's linguists in."

Cam snorted derisively and when the other two looked at him, he remarked disdainfully, "Puh-lease, I've had bad experiences with Jackson's linguists. I've seen more life in old milk."

Sam retorted in bemusement, "I don't know about seeing it, but there certainly would be a lot of life in old milk…"

Cam glared at her in his unique way, and Jack remarked, "That's what you get for having a scientist in charge… Anyway, where's that husband of yours?"

Sam replied, "His shift starts in a couple of minutes, Sir."

"Wow, he actually comes in."

Sam ducked her head briefly and then said, glancing at Cam, "We could send Ferretti as the military head… his divorce came through while we were in Ortus Mallum."

"He'll like that… hey, what about Hailey?"

"She's a Captain, Sir."

"Well, I knew a Captain once who certainly put me in my shoes."

Cam smirked as Sam raised her eyebrows briefly in surprise, and she said, shaking her head slightly, "We could send McKay, Carson and Radek… it was easier last time with Liz hand picking the civilian members of the expedition."

Jack said, "I guess we could ask her again… or get el Presidente to give us another diplomat."

"It's not going to be the same."

"Sadly, it never is."

Sam sighed and said, "The IOA might nominate someone but it would be advisable, Sir, if we were to get the President to personally approve someone, and remind him of what the IOA have done. It's a good thing that he got re-elected."

"He's been good for the programme. Yeah, I'll get on the blower to him in a bit. So… who have we got on the guest list so far?"

Cam, barely concealing his amusement, looked at Sam, who said, "Well… preliminarily, Ferretti, McKay, Carson, Radek… Teyla and Ronon are automatically going anyway as well as the people who were there last time… uh, who else?"

Cam replied, "You could ask Doctor Brightman again."

"Ah yes, Brightman… And _you'll_ get on the phone to the President."

Jack remarked with a smirk, snapping a sloppy salute to boot, "Yes, Ma'am."

He asked, raising his hand briefly, "Just one question, Carter… who's going to take over SG-2?"

"Well… we could bump Hailey up to Major and give the command to her."

Jack and Cam exchanged a glance, the latter saying, "She's good… she used to tell me what to do when Sam and Jackson were job-sharing their places on the team."

Jack remarked, "That's because she's known the territory for longer than you, Mitchell… and she's a four foot nine fighting machine."

He looked at Sam and said, "She's been a Captain for long enough… I'll tell el Presidente that too."

'_Hey honey._'

'_Daniel… you sound tired… you ok?_'

'_Yeah… I'm fine. Just a little world-weary. Those negotiations sound fun._'

'_Actually they are… are you sure you're ok?_'

'_I'm fine Sam._'

A few seconds later, there was a knock at the door and Sam said with a little smile, "Come on in, Jackson."

Cam and Jack exchanged a glance, the latter saying, "You cheated, Carter."

Sam retorted with a smile as the door opened, "I did not cheat, Sir. I wilfully participated in a campaign of observation via other means than the ordinary."

Cam and Jack exchanged another glance, this one bemused, and Jack asked, "You get any of that?"

Cam was about to reply when his and Jack's attention was drawn to Sam and then Daniel as the Astrophysicist stood, shocked as she stared at the Archaeologist. Daniel looked at her, a hint of sadness in his countenance, and she asked, still standing behind her desk,

"What happened to your hair?"

Jack blinked in surprise, remarking as he looked up at Daniel, "Well, it's karmic, Space Monkey. You made me grey… now Carter's made you go grey. Welcome to the club."

Sam eventually made her way around to Daniel's position, touching the front of his hair which now had a considerable grey streak in it. She said, confused,

"Daniel, how did it go grey that quickly?"

Daniel replied, inwardly scared, "I don't know."

"It wasn't grey when I left the house this morning which means that… no, that's impossible."

Cam exhaled, his arms folded across his chest as he looked at the General, who remarked, "I think Dannyboy's hair dye just gave up on him."

Sam shook her head and said, gazing at Daniel, "He doesn't dye his hair, Sir."

"You sure?"

"I know."

Jack raised his eyebrows briefly and Cam said, "Well you are nearly forty-six, Jackson… it could be catching up. You've been chestnut much longer than most other men."

Daniel remarked, touching his grey streak self-consciously, "I'm going to look like our quartet's grandfather if it keeps going."

Jack said, glancing at Sam, "Relax… it's probably your powers."

Worried, Sam said, gazing up at her husband, "Get yourself checked out by Carolyn and Carson."

-----------------------

Carson briefed Jack and the rest of SG-1 in the observation room as Daniel sat on a gurney in the Infirmary below, talking to a spooked Carolyn as several items flew around them.

"… Well, Daniel's ATA gene count has gone up… the medulla of the hair sample from that grey streak contains a lot of ATA. Part of the depression can be explained by a slight drop in testosterone."

Jack, Teal'c, Cam and Jonas watched their friend through the glass, and Sam asked, Teal'c's and Jack's arms around her, "Is it an Ancient version of a male menopause?"

"I doubt it. We don't know what it is though. His brain activity has increased but he's physically fine."

Sam pressed her lips together and Teal'c held her closer as Jack asked, "Any idea why it's happening now?"

"Not a clue, General. This all seems rather sudden… Carolyn and I did the physicals the day before yesterday after SG-1 came back from Dakara."

Sam asked, worried, "Contaminant?"

"Blood's clean. All we can do it wait to see if anything else happens. I don't understand why he's sporting that grey bit, but due to the composition of the medulla, it could be the result of a large dose of ATA."

Jonas said, "A good question to ask would be where he got that from."

Sam looked down at her feet and said, closing her eyes, "He's still in touch with the Ancients."

Everyone stared at her in shock at the revelation, and Jack remarked, "And… but… therefore. Come on, don't leave us high and dry… spill."

She sighed as she stepped forward to touch the glass, gazing down at her husband and not able to hear his thoughts, and said, "He… he had some help with a birthday present he gave me last year. It was a virtual version of my mother. He told me that Dad and Lilith helped him to make it."

Everyone else exchanged worried glances, and Carson asked, "Could he be ascending again?"

Sam remarked, her eyes closed to stop her tears from falling, "He better not be."

Jack said, "If he's in touch with those glowy people, they might have the answer. What do we have to do an audience with their Royal pains in the ass?"

Teal'c replied, "Perhaps DanielJackson will know."

--------------------

"What do you mean that you can't do a Mork calling Orson thing?"

SG-1, Jack, Carson and Carolyn stood around the Archaeologist, items still floating about them, and Jack continued, "And… quit it! Didn't anybody tell you that it's rude to float stuff when someone's talking?!"

The items immediately went back to their original places, much to everyone's bemusement and surprise, and Jack said, "That's better… now what do you mean?"

Daniel replied, looking tired, "I'm not Mork. The Ascended just drop in when they feel like it. Dad dropped in when I was thinking up Sam's present."

Sam sighed as she sat on the gurney next to her husband and said, gently making him meet her gaze, "Daniel… just tell me something. Are you ascending?"

Daniel gazed at her for a moment, sensing fear, uncertainty and pain, and he said in a small voice, "I don't know… but that feeling I had about losing you is getting much stronger."

As everyone else looked confused, Jack asked, "Care to elaborate?"

Daniel replied, holding his wife's hand, "I've had this strong feeling for the past couple of days that I'm going to lose Sam somehow. I don't know how. I've been able to see the future too… but that only happened on Dakara so far when I knew that Krau'nac was going to storm into the chamber."

Jack asked after a pause, "Do the Dodgers or Broncos win?"

Everyone else shot him a mixture of dirty and bemused looks, and he remarked, "What, the Broncos are doing well for themselves this season. A soldier uses every opportunity available to further his… ah screw it, you're all geeks… Teal'c notwithstanding."


	4. Developments

One morning, during her shift at the SGC, Sam was typing up a report when she closed her eyes briefly as a headache began to set in. Finishing up quickly, she shut her PC down and was about to reach into her drawer for an aspirin when the drawer slid open slowly. She gasped in surprise, almost falling backwards in her seat, before wondering whether Bill had taken to pranking her now.

Catching her breath back, she poked a penlight into the cavity behind the drawer, and then pulled the drawer out to look at the back of it. When she found nothing, she frowned and then rolled her eyes, calling,

"Daniel… that's odd; even for you."

'_Honey, what's up?_'

'_Stop pranking me. It's not funny._'

'_Uh… it's not me. What's going on? I just came in and you're already blaming me._'

Frowning in confusion, she asked, '_If it's not you, who is it then?_'

'_Fine, you've given me an excuse to go visit my crazy Astrophysicist._'

She sighed and was about to put the drawer back when her eyes widened in surprise on noticing a white light emanate from her raised hand as the drawer gently slid along the grooves in the desk, sliding home with a soft thud.

'_Ok… Daniel, I want answers… I think I'm going Whitelighter._'

Scared, she began to feel people walking by her office despite not being gifted with a window like Daniel's, and she, close to tears, said,

'_Daniel?_'

She closed her eyes and could see him walking to her office, Walter walking past him from the other way, and she said, "Oh God…"

There was a tap at the door at the same time that she saw him, in her mind's eye, knock and she said silently, '_Just come in, for crying out loud._'

'_Whoa, you sensed me?_'

'_What else?_'

He entered the office and shut the door behind him quickly, perching on the desk in front of her as she put her face in her hands. He kneeled and hugged her, asking,

"You have powers?"

She nodded in his embrace and replied, tearful, "They're only happening now… Daniel, what's happening to me? I don't…"

"Honey, let's get you checked out."

He glanced over his shoulder, noticing binders, a desk tidy and several pens spin around them, the phenomenon not caused by him for once. The odd feeling that he had been having for the past few days grew even stronger and he took a deep breath, telling himself that he wasn't going to lose her.

--------------------

This time, Sam sitting on the gurney, items flying around her as Patrolmen reported from the surface that the weather was unusually turbulent, Daniel stood in the observation room, watching her as he hugged himself, worry in his eyes as Cam and Jonas stood next to him, Teal'c off-world with Ish'ta. Carolyn said, placing a hand on Daniel's shoulder,

"Sam's symptoms are very similar to when you got your… abilities… only her body is rewiring itself and compensating for the changes a lot faster. Her neural activity is already beyond the range for any normal human being, her metabolism has increased, she has exhibited telekinesis and other forms of extrasensory perception… and she has the ATA gene."

'_Honey, you're turning into me… well, not me per se, but a Whitelighter, and I don't know why._'

'_I'm scared Daniel. You, I can understand it happening to, but me? I was never ascended._'

Cam asked, "Is she going to be alright?"

"Physically – fine, but she's going to need help dealing with this. I haven't an idea why she's getting this now. Daniel?"

Daniel, his eyes never leaving Sam, replied quietly, "There's a reason – there's always been a reason, but I don't know what it is. All I know is that it's something to do with her being the Listener. A Listener could be a Receiver… and she could be getting my powers for some reason."

Jonas asked, glancing at his own wife, "But why?"

"That is a very good question, Jonas… and it's a question that I have no hope of answering."


	5. Secrets

Later that evening, after placing the sleeping children in their rooms, Sam curled up on the couch with a book, a blanket draped over her form as she reflected on the day's developments. She sighed softly just as the front door opened and she said without turning around,

"Hey Cassie."

Cassie, spooked, shucked off her jacket in the hallway and asked, stepping into the lounge, "How did you know it was me?"

Panicking momentarily as she and Daniel had decided not to tell the Hankan about their collective powers for her own safety, Sam replied, "You're due home around this time."

"What if Daniel had come early?"

"Um… well, he has a different way of unlocking the door… it's an intuition thing."

Cassie replied, slowly at first as she sat next to Sam, "Ok… So, um, you ok? You look worried."

"I'm fine, Cass… what have you been up to?"

Cassie glanced down for a moment and replied, "Simon was in town and we met up."

Sam, interested, sat up and asked, "Oh… what happened?"

"Well, we talked and caught up."

Sam asked, sadness in her eyes as she sensed Cassie's inner pain, "Did you tell him about the baby?"

Cassie shook her head and said gently, "I don't think I'm ready to tell him… and anyway, we still have four years left on our promise."

Sam hugged her, whispering, "Take your time, honey. It's ok."

"Thanks Sam."

Sam, looking over Cassie's shoulder, noticed a vase rising. Focusing on the item, she made it land silently back onto the table it lifted from, and glanced down at the younger woman, hoping that she hadn't seen it. Cassie sat back on the couch and Sam said gently, touching the younger woman's hand,

"Your dinner's in the oven."

"I don't feel like eating."

"Eat a little bit at least… you'll feel better."

Cassie nodded and then asked, smiling, "How are the blue-eyed hoard?"

Sam laughed, remarking, "Four isn't a hoard!"

"Oh come on, just you wait 'til they're older. Jake looks a lot like Daniel… it's like Cammie all over again."

Sam sighed, smiling as she replied, resting her head on the back of the couch as she remembered the Cammie of the future, "Yeah… You should have seen Daniel's mother. Seeing her, I can understand where Daniel's looks come from."

Cassie asked, frowning in confusion, "Didn't she die when he was eight?"

Sam replied, thinking quickly, "Gamekeeper."

"Oh… I remember you telling me that now. Sorry."

"It's ok."

"So… any idea what's up with Daniel's hair? It just went grey all of a sudden and I know that he doesn't dye his hair like Jack used to…"

Sam chuckled, and then said, exhaling, "We don't…"

She sighed and continued, looking at the younger woman, "Honey, I'm going to tell you something and you have to promise me that you're not going to tell anyone. Seeing as you're living here, you're going to find out sooner or later anyway…"

Worried, Cassie held Sam's hand and asked, "Sam? What is it?"

Sam paused and then said quietly, "You remember the Whitelighters from Charmed?"

Cassie looked at her sceptically, replying, "Uh, yeah… got the box sets for every season…"

"Daniel is technically one. Ok, the Whitelighters don't exist but the Ancients are kind of similar to them. He has the Ancient gene too. It happened while I was out in Atlantis."

Cassie blinked slowly and then said, raising an eyebrow at the Astrophysicist, "Ok… you're pulling my leg, aren't you?"

"No. I'm not messing about. I swear it's the truth. Powers of the Ancients… the Trust came after him and kidnapped him and Cammie and James the Christmas after you went to Mozambique. He used his powers to free himself and the twins and then went about totalling the building they were in. By the time General O'Neill, Reynolds and SG-1 had tracked him down, Daniel was beating up Agent Merek."

Cassie looked stunned and then she started laughing, covering her mouth with her hand. When she had eventually managed to stifle her laughter, she shook her head and said, smiling,

"Sorry… it's just the thought of our Pacifist punching the living daylights out of someone."

Sam smiled briefly and Cassie said with a sigh, her smile fading, "Ok… stranger things have happened… the guy's died before… Heck, he's even had a baby."

Sam asked, concerned, "Are you going to be alright?"

Cassie gazed at Sam for a moment and then said, straightening up, "It's going to take a while to sink in but it's Daniel… I trust him."

Sam smiled and then said, "There's more."

Cassie remarked, "More? Why is it never simple with you people?!"

Sam took a moment to collect her thoughts and then said, "I have the same powers too. It only happened recently."

Cassie, shocked, covered her mouth with her hand, and then asked, "How?"

Sam shook her head and replied with a shrug, "I don't know. Daniel started getting his powers after you'd gone… it's the babies. They're part of an Ancient prophecy. Daniel's supposed to protect them, and I guess I'm supposed to too."

Cassie stared at her, still shocked, and then remarked, "I'm not going to be shot for knowing this, am I?"

Sam smiled and replied, "No, because your future's at the mountain. You already have the proper security clearance."

Cassie raised her eyebrows in surprise and Sam continued, "You'll find out more one day. To tell the truth, I'm not supposed to tell you half the stuff I tell you but I trust you."

Cassie nodded, tears pricking her eyes and then she remarked, "What powers do Doctor and Colonel Whitelighter have?"

Sam ducked her head briefly to hide a smile and then replied with a sigh, "Telepathy, empathy, telekinesis… I know for a fact that Daniel has pyrokinesis, premonitions and healing…"

Cassie asked, her inner scientist taking hold, "How is it possible?"

"Carolyn said that our bodies were rewiring themselves, and our brainwave activity increasing to accommodate the physical changes. I'll get you into the mountain one day to check her notes out."

After a moment's hesitation, Cassie asked, "Can you show me your powers?"

Sam asked, worried, "Are you going to freak out on me?"

Cassie rolled her eyes and remarked, "MTV generation."

Sam chuckled softly and then said, "Sure, but nothing bad is going to happen, ok?"

Cassie nodded in understanding and acknowledgement, and Sam looked at the vase from before, raising her hand and Cassie gasped in surprise when a white light emanated from Sam's palm, the vase rising three feet into the air and then descending back onto its spot.

Sam watched Cassie, worried as the younger woman stared at the vase and then at her, wide-eyed. The Astrophysicist said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…"

Cassie, finding her voice again, took a deep breath and remarked, "No, I asked for that… God, that Whitelighter thing is scarier in person. Wow."

Sam said, touching Cassie's hand gently, "Honey, you have to promise me that you won't tell another soul, other than SG-1 and the Atlantis people, of course."

"Of course I won't. I've kept the Stargate under my hat for nearly fourteen years… oh, and there was the time that my Uncle Daniel went missing for a year… so _this_ is nothing."

Sam hugged her and said, "So sorry for not telling you before but we didn't know how you'd take it."

"Hey, it's fine. I guess Mom would have loved this."

"Yeah. She'd blame Daniel for touching something he shouldn't have off-world."


	6. Not Again

When Daniel had eventually come home later that night, Sam, knowing how much more insecure he felt now that he was greying, was there to greet him, wrapping her arms around him as she kissed him. He sighed as they sat together on the couch, his gaze fallen and she said, holding him tighter,

"Daniel, you're not any less handsome, ok?"

He closed his eyes as he rested his head on her shoulder, saying silently, '_Well, for someone who thinks you were mad to take him on in the first place… that's not much of a consolation._'

She kissed the nape of his neck and replied, '_I'm not having this argument with you again – you are gorgeous. Surely you must have picked up other women's thoughts since you went Whitelighter on us?_'

She smiled in amusement when his neck reddened, his face not visible to her as he kissed her neck.

'_I told Cassie._'

'_I know. I heard._'

'_You did? How big is the range on this thing?_'

'_I don't know but I do know that our bond is getting stronger._'

She sighed and said, '_We were talking about Charmed earlier and the possible reason why you've gone grey suddenly… but the Ancients don't have…_'

'_They do have a governing body… the Elders._'

'_They're actually called Elders?!_'

'_Well, they are pre-evolved humans. Lilith's the head._'

He gently caressed her waist as she closed her eyes, resting her head on his chest and she whispered, '_I missed you._'

'_Me too… how were the babies?_'

'_They went straight to sleep… I don't think I will. It's just so much to take in._'

He ran his fingers through her hair and she said, surprised as she looked up at him, '_You spoke Ancient._'

'_What… oh, you mean before._'

'_How come I'm not?_'

He looked straight ahead, deep in thought and then replied, gazing down at her, '_You don't have Ancient knowledge in your head like I did before all of this, which means that it's something else that's feeding your powers._'

'_Like what?_'

'_I don't know._'

--------------------

As Sam slept, an arm draped across his stomach, Daniel awoke with a start, feeling very scared as he said, sitting up, "No!"

She stirred, saying as she sat up, worried, "Daniel?"

Tears running down his cheeks, he whispered, horrified as he gazed at her in the darkness, "Sam, I know why you're getting the powers. Oh God."

Holding him tighter, she asked, "Why?"

"What is another word for a Listener?"

Confused, she said, "Uh… someone who listens, takes note… recipient, receiver…"

"That's it!"

"What?!"

Switching the light on, he replied as he cupped her jaw, stroking her cheek with her thumb as she stared at him, scared, "The Guardian and the Listener. If I'm out of action for whatever reason, you're still here. I'm so sorry Sam. I'm so sorry."

A possibility dawning on her, she asked, tears threatening to fall, "What are you saying?"

He gently kissed her and replied, still crying, "I want you to know that it's not my choice."

"Daniel?"

"I've been giving you powers and I didn't even know that I was doing it. I'm sorry… The Ancients won't take 'no' for an answer. I'm sorry; I'm so sorry."

She wept, whispering, clinging onto him as she realised what he was saying, "Daniel… you can't leave. I won't let you. I can't lose you again."

Closing his eyes as he felt an overwhelming sadness, he cupped her jaw again, a white light emanating from his hand and engulfing her head. She fell unconscious and he gently laid her back onto the bed, covering her up with the sheets and whispered as his tears kept on coming,

"I'll always be with you, Sam. I'm so sorry."

Looking something unseen near the adjacent wall, he said, looking very angry, "Don't you dare hurry me. You have no right to do this. I don't want to leave my wife."

Slipping out of their room, he went to see their children. In the babies' room, he watched his youngest children sleep, smoothing their golden crowns and whispered, gazing down at them,

"I have to leave you… you knew this day would come. The Ancients are calling me and I can't refuse them. I want you to be good to your mother, ok? I just want you to know how proud I am of you, how you and your brother and sister make me feel like the proudest Dad in the Universe."

He gently kissed them, wiping his tears away and he then went to see the older twins, watching them sleep in their beds. He knelt by each bed, smoothing their fair heads as he gazed at them, remembering how they had come into being, and he whispered,

"Be good to your mother. She's going to be in a lot of pain when she wakes up. As the oldest of the quartet, it's your responsibility to look out for your brother and sister, and your Mom. I'll try to keep an eye on you but only your Mom can love you like a human."

He gently kissed them both and then asked the room, "Can I say goodbye to my friends?"

Lilith, her hair blonde and her countenance fair, appeared before him, glowing in white light in the darkness as she replied, "Your time has elapsed, Daniel Jackson. You must ascend."

"What if I don't want to? I have to want ascension in order to obtain it. I don't want to go with you."

"You have no choice this time. A series of physiological changes have occurred within you that override the usual protocol. This is your destiny. You and Samantha have to prove yourselves worthy of guarding the Duality."

He snapped, angry as Lilith's hair turned black, her skin tanned, "But we did! You said that we had earned it! You told us that we…"

"This is far more than Shifu. The fate of the Universe lies in the hands of your children."

His voice breaking with emotion, he said, "At least let me see Sam again."

"We must leave now."

"Look, let me Sam first and then we'll go."

Lilith, her eyes momentarily showing concern, gestured in acquiescence and Daniel went back to his room and sat on the bed, watching Sam sleep. He gently caressed her shoulder and her hair, whispering,

"I'm so sorry, Sam. You said that you'd kick my ass if I went again, but I have no choice. I would rather stay here with you. I would choose you over everything. I love you so very much."

He kissed her, still crying, and Lilith, her hair flame coloured, her eyes green, said, standing behind him, "Daniel, it is time."

Daniel sighed and with one last look at Sam, remarked, "You know, I hate you."

"Your opinion, hysterical or otherwise, is immaterial to this situation. How can you resist power greater than all of the Ancients? From the beginning, your abilities were greater than ours."

"If I'd known you were going to take me away from my wife, I would have told you where you could stick your powers."

"The choice is not yours. The choice is that of destiny. This has long been known. Your name indicated your destiny – you cannot be judged by us because there is no power higher than you amongst the Ancients. You are the Chief Elder."

He sighed, looking down at his hands for a moment and then said, tired and weary, "Fine, get on with it."

--------------------

Sam woke up the next morning, upset as she called Daniel's name, still remembering everything that had happened prior to falling unconscious. Realising that he was gone, she began to cry, sobbing into his pillow as she whispered, punching it in frustration,

"No… not again. No!"

Cassie, having heard the crying, came running in, asking as she sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at Sam in shock, "Sam? What's wrong?"

Sam was too upset to answer so the younger woman gathered the Astrophysicist in her arms and held her close. Sam sobbed, whispering over and over,

"He's gone."

Scared, Cassie asked, "What do you mean? Where's Daniel?"

Sam replied, her eyes closed, "The Ancients took him. They ascended him. He must have knocked me out somehow but I saw him go. I dreamt it. Lilith took him. They've taken him. Oh God."

"Are you sure?"

"He's gone. He told me why I have these powers… it's because he's going."

Cassie, crying, held Sam tighter, and whispered against her hair, "I can't believe he's gone again. Why would he go?"

"The bastard ascended."

Cassie grabbed the bedside phone and dialled Cam's number, saying into it, "Vala… you need to get everyone over to Sam's… Daniel's gone… I don't know. Oh God, she's inconsolable. I found her crying… ok… thanks."


	7. Face Off

_Lyrics featured are Wherever You Will Go by the Calling_

_--------------------_

A now marginally more composed Sam sat in a chair downstairs as the youngest twins crawled near their siblings, the elder twins playing with Cassie as Francis lay in his cot. Vala knelt by Sam's chair, holding the Astrophysicist's hand as she said, her eyes exuding emotion,

"Why would he go? From what you've said, he ascended… but he hated the way they did things… that's why he came back before. What's so different now?"

Sam closed her eyes, looking very fragile as she replied quietly, "It isn't his choice this time."

Teal'c stood her up and pulled her into his arms, surrounding herself with comfort as she cried into his chest. Carolyn asked, standing next to Cam and a now standing Vala,

"How are you feeling, Sam?"

Sam retorted heatedly, "How do you think I feel?! I've lost my husband."

"Do you need help sleeping? I've brought a sedative with me if you need some rest."

Sam shook her head and replied, still in Teal'c's embrace, "I can't… I don't want to. I just need to think things over."

Jonas said, sad, "He's not going to stay away permanently, Sam. You know that. I just wish there was someway to get him to come back home."

Just then the front door opened and everyone turned to see Jack, looking older than he had before. The General said, looking around at his friends,

"The bastard's really gone again."

Sam nodded, biting her lip and he, noticing how fragile she looked, pulled her into a hug, holding her close as he said, looking up at the ceiling, "Come on out Daniel, I know you're here… there is no way in hell that I'm falling for that again."

When everyone looked at him sadly, he continued, "He keeps expecting us to say something nice and clear out his things. I didn't fall for it the last time and I sure as hell am not this time."

Sam whispered, still holding onto him, "He's gone Sir. The Ancients want him for something. They made him go."

Frowning, he asked, holding her at arm's length, "What are you talking about?"

Sam's gaze fell as she began to cry again, and he held her tightly, looking around at their friends. Teal'c said,

"It would appear that the Ancients wish to retain DanielJackson."

"You know, we need someone to kick his ass… Carter? Are you up for a Mindy calling Orson?"

--------------------

Sam, forcing herself into a state of composure, sat on their bed upstairs, clearing her mind and then focussing on Daniel. She closed her eyes, concentrating on the image of his face and felt something happen.

She opened her eyes and found herself in surroundings of pure white, a whirling ring of white and yellow light spinning around her. She turned and saw Daniel, dressed in Earth-toned robes, gazing at her sadly, immaterial tears in his eyes. She immediately hugged him, whispering,

"You bastard. You ascended."

They parted, gazing at each other and he caressed her cheek, whispering, "I don't have a choice in the matter. I don't want to be here."

Determined, she held out her hand and said, tears running down her cheeks, "Come home with me then."

"I wish I could."

"_So lately, been wondering  
Who will be there to take my place  
When I'm gone you'll need love  
To light the shadows on your face  
If a great wave shall fall and fall upon us all  
Then between the sand and stone  
Could you make it on your own_…"

He continued, memorising every detail of her face, "I have to be here, Sam. They want me to show them how to be human. They knew I would never go on purpose so they forced me. I am so sorry."

Her voice breaking with emotion, she asked, "Will I ever see you again?"

He remarked with a fleeting smile, "I don't know… I'm not sure they're going to let you ascend like that again. You know, it took me so long to learn to ascend the first time but you just did it within minutes."

"_If I could, then I would  
I'll go wherever you will go  
Way up high or down low  
I'll go wherever you will go_…"

"I knew what… or rather who I wanted."

She continued, her heart breaking, and continuing to break, "All I know now is that I can't go on without you…"

"No Sam, you'll be fine."

"No I won't. Atlantis was bad enough but this… this is so much different. I don't know whether I'll see you again or whether you'll be alright. I need you, Daniel and so do our children."

Sniffing back more tears, he said, "I can take your pain… I can make you forget."

She shook her head and replied, "I don't want to forget."

He held her jaw in his hand as he said, his eyes swirling with so much pain and angst, "I'll always be there, watching over you…"

"_And maybe, I'll find out  
A way to make it back someday  
To watch you, to guide you  
Through the darkest of your days  
If a great wave shall fall and fall upon us all  
Then I hope there's someone out there  
Who can bring me back to you_ …"

"It won't be the same… you won't be there."

"_If I could, then I would  
I'll go wherever you will go  
Way up high or down low_

I'll go wherever you will go…"

"… and our children, but they need you to give them the love that only a human can give. This is all because of you Sam. I could never have come this far without you. You have a capacity to love unconditionally and fully – you have so much love within you, so much love to give and to share. Your love made me believe that I could be more than I could possibly be, and now look where I am. I don't agree with how the Ancients have pulled this off, but no other Daniel has come this far in the other Universes."

"_Run away with my heart  
Run away with my hope  
Run away with my love_

I know now, just quite how  
My life and love might still go on  
In your heart, in your mind  
I'll stay with you for all of time

If I could, then I would  
I'll go wherever you will go  
Way up high or down low  
I'll go wherever you will go…"

"Damn those other Universes! I want you to come back with me."

She held out her hand again and he said, crying, "I would love to go back. I miss you… but I can't. The Ancients won't let me."

"I think I can persuade them."

He smiled briefly at yet another example of her fiery spirit, and he gently kissed her, whispering as they gazed into each other's eyes, "I love you so much, fy Gwenhwyfar. No-one has ever loved me like you do. I want you to know how proud I am, how in awe I am of you. You are amazing."

She hugged him, sobbing into his shoulder as he ran his fingers through her hair, whispering, "I love you, Daniel. I love you and I'm losing you again. Please don't go."

He kissed her hair, his tears falling onto it, "I'm sorry."

"_If I could turn back time  
I'll go wherever you will go  
If I could make you mine  
I'll go wherever you will go  
I'll go wherever you will go_…"

She looked up at him and he kissed her, caressing her cheek as he whispered, "I love you."

--------------------

Sam opened her eyes to find herself back on her bed, stark naked, and she muttered under her breath as she put her clothes back on, "Damn Ancients."

She sighed, strangely feeling more at peace with everything, and she sat, holding her St Christopher and scarab, kissing them, "I love you, Daniel."

Closing her eyes, she opened them to find herself sitting in the lounge in amongst her shocked friends, Jack remarking with a slow raise of his eyebrows, "You can… beam in."

Cam asked, sitting next to her on the couch, "Are you ok?"

Sam nodded and replied truthfully, gazing across at her children, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Jack asked, "You sure? Space Monkey's gone."

"I'm ok, really. Daniel's gone to hang out with the Ancients/"

She got up and wandered off into the kitchen, no-one seeing the tears running down her face, and Cam looked up at Vala and then Jack, Teal'c and Jonas, saying, "That didn't seem like Sam, did it?"

Jack remarked, worry in his eyes, "I think Space Monkey's been messing with her head... damn that man. When I find him, I'll break his legs… then he'll have to stay – when have we seen a legless Ancient?"


	8. Visitation

_The cloud scene is a rip-off of Lion King._

_--------------------_

Sam sat in the middle of the back yard one night, the children safely tucked in, and she closed her eyes, leaning her head back as she let herself grieve, something that she hadn't let herself do for the past few days since he had left. Tears ran down her cheeks as she contemplated the fact that he was gone, that he may never come back. She looked up at the stars twinkling in the huge expanse of dark sky, whispering,

"Why did you have to go?"

To her utter surprise, the cloud bank that had been passively moving in its own way was now pulsing and glowing. Suddenly, Daniel's face appeared, and her eyes widened in fear and apprehension, wondering whether she was going insane. He smiled wistfully and whispered,

"Samantha."

She closed her eyes and whispered, "Oh God, I'm having aural hallucinations too."

"No! No, I'm real, Sam. I was just thinking of ways I could visit you without misappropriating my new position."

She opened her eyes and gazed up at him, asking, "Why can't you come down here then?"

He sighed and replied sadly, "I can't… if I do, I'll never be able to go back."

"You don't have to. I don't care about the Ancient thing. I thought we'd agreed that we wouldn't lose each other. Jeez, you made me into a liar when I said that the chances of us losing each other were lower than previously."

He sighed again, this time a long one that mingled with the sound of the breeze and then in a flash of white light, he appeared before her, sitting next to her in the grass, dressed in brown trousers and a cream sweater. She choked on a sob and whispered, scared to touch him,

"I don't know if you're real."

He leaned in to kiss her and after a couple of seconds, she reciprocated, gently touching the back of his neck. They parted, still holding onto each other, and he remarked, looking even sadder,

"Was that real enough?"

She gazed at his features, touching his jaw and then she hugged him, crying into his shoulder as his arms came around her, glowing tears running down his cheeks and onto her hair. He kissed her neck and whispered,

"I'm so sorry, Sam. I would choose you over the Universe and they knew that… that's why they forced me to go. I never wanted to leave you… or our quartet. It's some kind of test too, whether we're worthy of looking after Jake and Claire… well, you in particular."

"The year you were gone was the hardest, and then when we lost you that other time after… that Replicator Queen killed you. Oh God, Daniel… you can't do this to me again. It's not fair. I really can't manage without you."

He kissed her hair and replied, "Guinevere, you will manage without me. You have within you a love so deep, so great and profound… I could never hope to love as much as you can."

She raised an eyebrow as she met his gaze and remarked as he tenderly dried her tears, "Daniel, stop putting yourself down. You're just as passionate as you always were… You have infinitely more love within you than I have. You wear your heart on your sleeve wherever you are, be it here or up with those… Ancients. You have so much love, forgiveness and compassion…"

"I don't. I've hurt too much."

"And you don't think I have?!"

Hearing a chiming noise in his ear, he gently kissed her, whispering with a regretful expression, "I have to go."

"Now?"

"I'm sorry… they're calling me."

"Tell them you're busy."

"If only they worked that way."

She pulled him into a hug and said, crying again, "I don't know if I'll ever see you again."

He kissed her again and replied against her hair, "You will, Sam…"

He added silently to himself, "I hope."

They stood and he touched her cheek, her hair, and said, "I love you Samantha."

Closing her eyes, she clung onto him, whispering, "I love you too, Daniel."

"I'll try to watch over you but…"

She placed a finger on his lips and whispered, "I know."

She reluctantly let him go, and with a sad smile, he disappeared in a flash of white light, leaving her all alone in the dark, still crying.


	9. Departures

Sam stood in the gate room with the newly assembled Atlantis personnel led by Jonas as the civilian head and Ferretti as the military head. McKay and Carson both hugged the Astrophysicist, the former saying,

"You'll get him back – you always do… if you don't… you know where I am."

Carson rolled her eyes and elbowed him, making him exclaim, much to everyone else's amusement, "It was a joke! Don't they have jokes in Scotland!?"

Carson retorted, an eyebrow raised, "Not as tasteless as telling a woman who's recently lost her husband that you're here. Dear God man, have you no compassion!?"

Before McKay could reply, Sam, looking weary, stepped in between them, remarking, "Quit it now or you're going home."

McKay and Carson looked suitably chastened; the two of them mumbling apologies, and Jonas pulled her into his arms and said gently, "You'll get him back, Sam. I have no doubt that he'll be back just like the last time."

Sam sniffed back her tears in his embrace, whispering back, "Thanks, Jonas – that means a lot."

He smoothed her hair and said, "Take care of yourself. Your children need you. I know you have the team and Jack but they need _you_ most of all."

"Thanks."

She kissed him on the cheek and offered him her best smile, which looked a tad strained. He patted her on the shoulder, and Elizabeth said, wistfully, "This just brings back so many memories."

Carson, Ronon, Teyla and McKay bade her their farewells, Teyla saying, "You will be greatly missed, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth smiled back at her and replied, glancing up at Sheppard, "Hopefully we'll be with you soon…"

She turned to Jonas and said, "It was very nice of you to volunteer, Jonas. The President was reluctant to bring more people into the fold… luckily the IOA agree with sending you after Daniel argued in your corner."

Sam looked down at her feet and Sheppard put an arm around, Teal'c too, and Jack stepped forward and said as the event horizon activated behind the expedition, "Ok folks, that's your cue. Keep in touch and don't do anything that I wouldn't do."

Jonas hugged Carolyn tightly, whispering as she fought back her tears, not wanting to cry in front of their friends, "It's only a few months, Lyn. I'll be back before you know it."

Carolyn replied quietly as she held onto him, "I'm still going to miss you."

"Me too."

They kissed, and after one more round of hugs, Jonas finally walked onto the ramp, smiling at Ferretti, who remarked, "Nice day for a stroll, huh, Quinn?"

"Now that you mention it…"

Jonas, glancing around at his friends one last time, led the expedition through the event horizon, via a Carter-McKay Bridge, and eventually over to the Pegasus galaxy. As Carolyn quickly set about getting back to work, needing to busy herself as a distraction, Sam stood, watching where the event horizon had been. Jack gathered her into his arms as she began to cry, and she whispered against his shoulder as the rest left out of politeness, gently patting her on the way out,

"He was originally here to cover for Daniel, and now Daniel's gone and so has he… It hurts."

Jack smoothed her hair and said quietly, "It's ok Carter. We're not going anywhere. I feel it too. It feels like we've lost half the team… although two out of six isn't… Well, you get what I mean."

He gazed down at her and asked, "Are you going to be ok?"

She nodded, wiping her tears away as she said, her gaze dropping, "Yeah… sorry for crying all over you."

"Hey, what's Uncle Jack for? It's ok. We've lost our Space Monkey."


	10. Babies and Reassurances

A few weeks later, Sam, now just about living with Daniel's absence, sat in a park with the youngest twins in her lap, Jack, Teal'c, Sheppard, Cam, Lorne and mini-Jack playing ball with the elder twins, who squealed with laughter every time Jack picked one of them up under his arm and charged at his friends. Sam gently smoothed the babies' cheeks as they gurgled with laughter when she did a Peek-a-boo, and she said quietly, a fond but wistful smile on her face,

"Do you think you can get your Daddy to come home again?"

To her surprise, the twins looked at each other and then Claire said, shaking her head, "No."

Frowning slightly, she asked, "Why not?"

"Anq'ieta'."

She sighed, recognising the Ancient word for Ancient, Anquietas, and she remarked, bouncing them on lap, "He's always going off doing things for the greater good… Ok, this is the last time. Next time, we stop him from leaving us like that. Uncle Jack said that he'd break his legs."

Claire giggled and Jacob said, resting his head on his mother's shoulder, "'ncle Yack."

She kissed their cheeks just as James came running up to her, planting himself in her lap, right in between his siblings. When Claire started crying, Jacob joining in, James, looking sad, kissed them both and said,

"Sorry."

She remarked with a teary smile, "Just watch where you park your butt next time, little man."

James carefully moved Claire next to Jacob, and then sat on his mother's knee as she was reminded yet again how much like Daniel he was. She asked him, smoothing his fair hair,

"What's wrong, James?"

He shook his head resolutely and grinned, replying, "Nothin', Mommy. Just wanna sit wi' you."

Shortly afterwards, Cammie came running towards her, crying and calling, "Mommy."

Before Sam could act, James moved to sit on her legs and gently sat Cammie down on his previous seat, saying, "Sit there."

Cammie kissed James on the cheek and replied, tears running down her cheeks, "'hank you."

Sam smiled at this and then asked, "What's up, Cammie?"

Cammie buried her face in Sam's shoulder, whispering, "Uncle Jack's mean."

Sam looked up, bemused as Jack remarked while their friends continued playing with the ball, "Nuh-uh, she started it. She didn't want me tackling Teal'c with her and then when us guys did it, she started spoiling for a fight just like her Daddy."

Cammie looked up at Jack and spat, "Meany-pants."

Sam, trying very hard not to laugh especially on seeing the expression on Jack's face, chastised her daughter, saying, "Cameron, say sorry to Uncle Jack. It's not nice to call him that."

Cammie stuck her tongue out and then hid her face in her mother's shoulder. Jack sat down next to Sam and pulled Cammie into his lap, saying as she pouted, "Young lady, if you wanted to tackle Uncle Teal'c, you only had to tell me."

Sam said gently, "Say sorry to Uncle Jack… you shouldn't hurt his feelings like that."

Jack raised his eyebrows at her and she silently gestured for him to go along with it. He rolled his eyes and then pouted, saying to a curious Cammie, "Cammie, you hurt me by calling me a meany-pants… even your Auntie Sara doesn't call me that."

As the younger twins squealed, James grinning as he ran away to try to tackle Sheppard, Cammie put her arms around Jack's neck and whispered as she rested her head on his shoulder, "So'ee, Uncle Jack."

He smiled at her and said, "That's ok… I'm sorry too for not realising what you meant."

The little girl kissed him on the cheek and he asked, looking at Sam, "You ok, Carter? You don't have to do your shift today…"

Sam smiled sadly, replying as she gazed down at her younger children, Jennifer, Cassie, Elizabeth and Vala approaching them, the latter two with their own children, "I'm fine, Sir. As crazy as it's going to sound, I'm learning to live with it. And besides, I've got to look out for our little hoard as well as doing my job, because both are so much more than I am…"

"Carter…?"

"I'm fine, Sir; really. I'm not locking it all up."

He patted her on the shoulder and said, "I hate to think you having to go through this by yourself."

"I don't have a choice. He's my husband, best friend, team-mate and the father of my children… quite frankly, as no-one else can say that, I am on my own."

"You have a point, like you always do eventually, but you aren't alone. Sure, no-one was mad enough to go and marry the man, but…"

She ducked her head in amusement, and he continued, smiling slightly, "You're on SG-1… you'll never be alone."

She gazed down at the children in her lap and Jack's, and at the little boy squealing with laughter as he ran away with the ball from Lorne's clutches, and she smiled, replying, "Thanks Sir."

Charlotte ran up to Sam, sitting next to Jacob, and a heavily pregnant Jennifer called, smiling, "Hey Sam… you ok?"

Sam was about to reply when her pager went off and she threw the younger woman an apologetic smile as she dug it out of her jeans, reading the display and then looking at Jack gravely.


	11. New Arrival

Sam, still in civilian clothes, came sprinting up to the control room, followed closely by Jack, Cam and Teal'c, and she asked Walter, "What's going on?"

Walter replied, gesturing towards the window, his eyes never leaving it, "I think you had better take a look for yourself, Colonel."

She and her friends looked through the glass, only to have their jaws practically drop to the ground on seeing a wiry brown haired man in a light brown trench coat, his hands up as SGC personnel aimed guns at him. Walter said, his eyes still on the scene below,

"The 'gate was active for a long time and the Iris wouldn't work – he only just came through."

Sam closed her eyes and focussed on the man below, and was amazed that he seemed to open up to her. She gasped, opening her eyes and said, amazed,

"He's got a binary vascular system."

Jack was about to say something as he looked at her testily, and she said, turning to look right at him, "Two hearts… if I'm not mistaken, he looks a lot like the tenth time lord. God, this is so surreal."

Teal'c remarked, "Indeed it is as Doctor Who is a fictional series."

Cam looked from the window to Sam and then asked, "How do you know he has a binary… uh, two hearts, resemblance to Doctor Who notwithstanding?"

Sam replied as she left the control room to go down to the gate room, "I sensed it."

Cam looked at Jack who shrugged, and then at Teal'c who simply stared at him, and then the three men quickly followed the Astrophysicist as she stepped into the gateroom, looking at the new arrival with a shocked expression on her face.

The man, on seeing Sam, said in an East London accent as though he was out for a stroll as opposed to under the watchful gaze of at least a dozen armed soldiers, "Hello! Um, there appears to have been a little misunderstanding…"

Noting that he hadn't pulled any rabbits and that she hadn't sensed a symbiote, Sam gestured for the SFs to lower their weapons, and when they eventually did, sending her funny looks, she stepped forward and asked,

"Who are you?"

The man turned around, feeling a little freer now that weapons weren't trained on him any more, and gaped at the 'gate, remarking aloud, "Oh! Beautiful. A Milky Way Stargate! I haven't seen one of these for ages!"

Glancing back at his shocked greeting party, he said, "Do you mind?"

Without waiting for an answer, he walked up to the 'gate, touching it as he said, looking up at it appreciatively, "You are beautiful! Wow… so where am I? Milky Way Stargate…"

When his gaze moved to Teal'c, he exclaimed, "Oh, a Jaffa… hm, Apophis' if I'm not mistaken! Ah-ha… Ok, so Milky Way Stargate, Apophis' Jaffa, relatively human looking people… Ah!"

His smile grew wider as he continued, clapping his hands, "Yes! Oh wow, this makes a change from Cardiff and London… although there was that trip to Utah when we picked that twit up… Stargate Command, Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado, United States of Ameri-ca!"

He ran down the ramp and stopped in front of Sam, saying, suddenly subdued, "You must be Colonel Samantha Jackson then."

He grinned and continued, "It's an honour to meet you… let's see."

He looked around at the rest of her friends, saying, "Ah… General Jack O'Neill, Lieutenant-Colonel Cameron Mitchell… Cam to his friends or Mitchell to the Guardian. Oh, so you must be Teal'c! Sorry about the Apophis thing – I saw the symbol…"

He quickly looked up at the control room and said, waving, "And you must be Chief Master Sergeant Walter Harriman… hello!"

Sam asked, now impatient, "Who are you?"

The man replied, "Ah yes, sorry, you won't know me… well you'll probably think that you do. I'm the Doctor."

Jack asked, raising his eyebrows, "Doctor…?"

"Oh, just the Doctor. So…"

Sam said, now spooked, "Ok… _Doctor_, but how are you here? You're a fictional character."

"Ah yes, David Tennant… nice chap; bit of an accent on him…"

He paused and asked, pouting a little, "Do I really look like him?"

Teal'c intoned, "You greatly resemble the Tenth time lord."

"That's a long story. I'm the real time lord. But first, why am I here? Well, you see my ship… TARDIS, Time and Relative Dimensions in Space, malfunctioned on my way to the Muranda Cluster when I hit a supernova. Basically, it went one way and I went the other way. Luckily I ended up here instead of in a vacuum or something. So…"

He looked at Sam closely and said, "You're the Listener."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I felt you probing me from up there… I'm very sorry about the Guardian."

Cam asked as the rest of his friends looked surprised, "You know about the Ancient prophecy?"

The Doctor nodded gravely and replied, "Yes. I travel a lot in my line of… well, I was going to say work but I don't work, do I, so… in my line of leisurely travelling around the cosmos. Ok, it's not so much leisurely… well, you get the idea."

Jack looked at Cam who shrugged, Teal'c's eyebrow going up, and Sam said with a sigh, turning to leave, "Come on Doctor, follow me. You've got some questions to answer."

"Well, just so long as I don't have to go through one of Carolyn Lam's medical exams…"

--------------------

After an extra long medical exam in which Carolyn confirmed that the Doctor had two hearts and appeared to have regenerative abilities based on his genetic make-up, the Doctor was escorted to an interrogation room, dressed in combat fatigues. As he waited, pulling the sleeves of his new clothes with disdain, Sam entered the room, her friends watching through the one-way window, and the Doctor said,

"Ah hello again… can I have my clothes back? I don't particularly like dressing like anyone's military, let alone Earth's… they're tight and these boots should come with a warning sticker."

Sam sat down on the other side of the table from him with a sigh, putting a clear plastic bag on the table, containing a sonic screwdriver. The Doctor made to reach for it when Sam pulled it out of his reach and said with a brief smile,

"Sorry, standard protocol."

"Ah yes… standard protocol. Fine, ask away."

She cleared her throat and asked, "Ok, who are you, really?"

The Doctor gazed at her for a moment and then replied in a quiet voice, "I am the oncoming Storm. Everyone else knows me as the Doctor."

When she looked at him sceptically, he continued, placing his hands down on the table, "I really am the Doctor. _Your_ Doctor just confirmed what you saw. I am over nine hundred Earth years old, and from a now gone planet called Gallifrey. My people were wiped out during the Time War which happened hundreds of years ago and I've been wandering the Universe ever since… the last of my people."

He continued with a sigh, "Not all Sci-fi television shows are purely fictional… The Doctor Who series is a chronicle of my travels that acts as a cover story for me, enabling people like you to look at me like I'm insane when I claim to be the Doctor. Wormhole X-Treme works to the same effect with the Stargate programme although nowhere near as brilliantly… seriously, casting's all wrong…"

Sensing that he was telling the truth, she asked, holding the bag up, "What is this?"

"That… that is my sonic screwdriver. That nifty little gadget, that only an absolutely stunning alien as myself could make, is a hi-tech version of your Swiss Army knives. Seriously, it opens, cuts… disconnects... makes a ripping lentil soup…"

He rested his chin in his hands and said, looking weary, "What I need is to get my ship back."

She, sensing the pain and the darkness just between his exterior, replied with a small nod, "I'll do everything that I can, Doctor."

His face immediately brightened as he remarked, "I thought you would… Oh, you're always up for anything, you brilliant, brilliant scientist! Ok, not as brilliant as me but... well, you get the idea. Allons-y!"


	12. Getting Down On It, and a Warning

Sam sat at one of the control room computers with the Doctor holding the back of her chair as he looked over her shoulder, as she looked through the data gathered by the computer during the open wormhole earlier that day. She said, frowning slightly as she gestured to a part of the screen,

"There's the usual wormhole radiation… and then there's this pattern here. Unidentifiable energy signature."

The Doctor replied as Cam leaned against a nearby table, watching the two of them, "Oh, that looks like the TARDIS… see, it covers a wider frequency band than the others. Ok, so what does that mean? The old girl was behind me?"

Sam replied as she initialised an analysis algorithm, "It would appear that your… ship was behind you as you entered the active event horizon, but the address of origin is a jumble… that isn't a Stargate address and the 'gate won't dial it."

"Well, it could be encrypted."

"I thought so… I've got a computer model running simulations on it."

"Beautiful."

She said as she stood up, stretching her arms, "We better leave that running along with the signal analysis in the background – the estimated time of completion is four and a half hours. We haven't upgraded our computers in a while."

--------------------

While the Doctor was placed in VIP quarters, Sam walked down a corridor, deep in thought. She turned on sensing Cam's approach and said with a little smile as he fell in step beside her,

"Hey."

"Hey… you ok?"

"I'm fine…"

Cam sighed and said, "Look, Sam… I don't want to question your judgement, but don't you think you're trusting this guy a bit much? I mean, he shows up out of the blue claiming to be the Doctor… I know Carolyn said some things, but what if this is some obscure Goa'uld trap, or a Lucian Alliance conman assuming an Earth cultural icon just for the heck of it?"

Sam shook her head and replied, "Everything he's said has been the truth… I would know if he was lying or deliberately holding back information. That husband of mine left me with his Whitelighter powers. Plus, he needs to go home. Ok, he doesn't have a home but his ship is somewhere out there."

"You really want to help him, don't you?"

"He needs our help. Look Cam, I'm sorry if you're concerned about me getting too involved or whatever, but the fact of the matter is the man needs us."

"All I'm saying is you might not want to get too attached… or completely trust him for that matter. He could still pull a rabbit…"

"He would have done it by now… and besides, come on, he was like a kid in a candy store when he came here."

"True, but just be careful, ok?"

She smiled slightly and touched his arm affectionately, replying, "Thanks Cam… I will."

Daniel walked on the other side of Sam, unseen and unheard as he murmured, gazing at her sadly, "I wish I wasn't ascended… I'd love to help but they won't let me."


	13. A Mission to Remember

Sam stood at the front of the briefing room as her friends and the Doctor sat at the table, and she said, gesturing to a rapid progression of slides, "… so according to the telemetry received by the dialling computer and the results of the algorithm, the address of origin is P3X-211… unfortunately, it's not as simple as a little recon. I've got to upload a searching program to the destination DHD which should be able to lock onto the TARDIS' energy signature."

Her friends exchanged looks and before anyone could reply, the Doctor stuck his hand up and said, excitedly, "Ooh, brilliant, but you've forgotten one little thing… the power that a Stargate uses is variable to the number of people that are travelling through the active event horizon at any given activation, and that program is going to take a lot of power."

She nodded and said, "Right… so how many people?"

"Two should do it. Any more, and the DHD is going to be toast."

Jack and Teal'c volunteered simultaneously, and then looked at each other in partial surprise, and Sam said with a sigh, "I can't let anyone else upload this program – I have to do it myself… I know what I'm doing."

The Doctor chipped in, saying, "And you'll need me – the TARDIS won't work without me."

Jack shook his head and said, "It's too risky. Carter, you can't go without back-up."

The Doctor looked at the General in disbelief and remarked, "Of course she can do it – you're not her father. Honestly. Stop mollycoddling her. The Colonel can do this and plus she has all those… powers of hers. Look, you're going to have to trust me on this and seeing as you don't, you're going to be in trouble."

Jack retorted, "I'm not allowing Carter to go on this mission. It could be a trap. It could be anything. We still don't know who you are."

"The computer chose the planet!"

"You could have fixed the results!"

The Doctor's voice rose as he "Oh! I might have known, General Jack O'Neill, perpetual cynic!"

Teal'c cleared his throat and said, "I too am of the opinion that Samantha should not be alone on this mission, considering that her Sim'ka was lost to us recently."

Cam remarked as Sam rolled her eyes, "Yes, and that's why you're gonna have to take just one more person with you at the very least."

The Doctor looked at Sam who closed her eyes briefly and then said, politely exasperated, "Look, I can do it, ok? If you want, you can monitor the situation from the Odyssey, but there is no way that I am having any of you put anyone's life or wellbeing at risk by jeopardising this mission. Is that understood?"

Jack remarked heatedly, "Oh fer cryin' out loud, Carter! Who's the General here?!"

Sam shook her head slightly and said, a little calmer, "With all due respect, _Sir_, you can go on the Odyssey with the rest of SG-1. I'll just be a couple of hours."

Jack remarked, glancing at Teal'c and Cam, "That's what SG-3 said last week and they ended up bound and gagged in some crazy bounty hunter's basement."

--------------------

Sam and the Doctor emerged onto a barren planet, their surroundings of dead grass and rotting trees. The Doctor remarked, clapping his hands as Sam plugged her laptop into the DHD,

"Oh, this is a dead place, isn't it? I wonder what happened."

She shrugged as she typed quickly, replying, "Probably the Goa'uld or a natural disaster."

"Good choice of words… not really much difference between them, eh?"

She sighed softly and pulled her radio from her combat vest, calling into it, "Odyssey, this is Jackson, I've uploaded the program into the crystal matrix and we're waiting for it to initialise."

Jack's voice crackled back, "Copy that, Carter. Break a leg. And if that Doctor guy gives you any grief, zat him."

Bemused, Sam replied, "Thanks Sir."

She put her radio away and sat next to her laptop, keeping an eye on the screen as she asked the Doctor, "How will we know if it's working?"

He shrugged and replied, "When it works, we'll find out."

She smiled briefly and returned her attention to the screen, idly fingering her St Christopher and scarab, and he sat down next to her, asking cheerfully, "So! How did you get together?"

Confused at first, she replied, her gaze moving to the distance, "We were on a planet and were…"

She closed her eyes and continued in a quieter voice, "… forced to do something. We came home and I was pregnant. We were already very good friends but we'd drifted apart a little because of all the change brought on by the General leaving us, and Cam and Vala joining us before the situation with the Ori."

He grimaced briefly, and she continued, "Anyway, one day we faced up to our feelings for each other, and then almost two years after our babies were born, we got married… first as a marriage of convenience so I could officially lead the team when we were looking for Ortus Mallum, and then properly a month after the twins hit two. Now we have four children, both of them mixed twins…"

He smiled and remarked, amazed, "Wow. I've been all over the Cosmos, seen things that even you could only imagine, but…"

He grinned and continued, "A pregnancy bringing you together… no scratch that, two pregnancies bringing you together."

He looked at her shocked expression and said calmly, "Your first set of twins is the Duality but your first children don't count as they're not strictly twins."

Worried, she asked, "How did you know that?"

He replied, "I know the Ancient prophecy. I've seen it and muddled over it for years. I know you're the Listener and that Doctor Jackson is the Guardian, and, let's just say that I might just know the future."

She closed her eyes and mentally reached out for him as he passively let her, knowing that that was the only way she would understand, and she gasped in shock as she immersed herself into his mind, seeing everything that had once been, everything that was, and everything that would be, in one place. Unable to take any more without freaking out, she quickly left his mind, whispering as she held her head in her hands,

"That was… oh God."

He nodded gravely and said, "It's a lot to take in. I can barely cope with it sometimes. It's all up here but I can't look at it all at once for obvious reasons."

She looked at him and asked, "Do you just travel by yourself?"

He looked at the ground for a moment and then replied, "I've had assistants, companions during each regeneration cycle…"

She blushed, and he continued, a touch embarrassed, "_Travelling_ companions. Anyway, yes, but they eventually go their own way. It would be nice to have another Gallifreyan to travel with but there you go… what happened, happened."

She patted his shoulder consolingly and after a moment of reflective silence, the DHD began to hum, and Jack called from the ship, "Carter, Reynolds is reckoning there's some sort of an energy build-up right next to you… you ok?"

Sam replied, her eyes never leaving the DHD which was now brightly lit and beeping, "I think it's the program, Sir."

"You _think_ it's the program?!"

"I'll keep you posted."

Sam disconnected her laptop from the device, stowing it away in her backpack, and the Doctor said, distracted as he concentrated on pointing his sonic screwdriver at the DHD, "It might be a good idea to move away, Colonel… I'm over twenty times your age and I'm scared."

She backed away, standing close to him as a huge beam of yellow light spread from the DHD, engulfing everything in its vicinity. Sam asked, her eyes still on the light show,

"Is it safe?"

"I'd rather not know."

"Right…"

She tried using her radio but all she got was static, and he said, "EM interference… your radio's no use to us."

Nodding slowly, she put her radio back in her pocket and his eyes suddenly moved upwards, high in the sky, where something was coming towards them, but with no point of reference, she couldn't tell how fast the object was, nor how big it was. She glanced at the Doctor, who was now grinning and he said,

"Yes!"

He looked at her and remarked, "Colonel Jackson, introducing the TARDIS – the best ship in the Universe!"

A blue Police box landed in front of them and she stared at it in amazement, saying as she made to touch it, "The TARDIS?"

He nodded, still smiling and said, "You should see the inside. Come o…"

The DHD, at an angle to the TARDIS, continued to emit lights, this time the sound rising in pitch considerably. He said, "The DHD's overloading… we're going to have to go…"

He tried to pull her into his ship but was too late as the energy engulfed her, crackling as it encountered the Ancient knowledge that had been placed there by Daniel when he had given her his powers and as the Doctor watched, aghast, she disappeared, calling his name.


	14. Disappeared

Jack, aboard the Odyssey, sat in the Commander's chair, pressing buttons as he called into the on-ship radio, "Carter, come in."

Marks reported, "Sir… energy level on planet surface has reached critical levels and we can't beam them out."

"How about landing the ship?"

"No can do Sir… the energy will scramble the ship's computers and we'll be floating like a brick."

Jack sighed as he looked at a worried Cam and Teal'c, and the Jaffa suggested, "Perhaps it would be feasible to discover a window within the energy via which to travel."

"Sorry Teal'c… there is a window but It's too small."

Cam asked, his hand on Jack's chair, "What about firing anti-matter into the energy field to level it out?"

Everyone looked at him questioningly, and he glared at them, saying, "My best friend's an Astrophysicist… what did you expect?!"

Just then, Daniel appeared, dressed in his casual Ascended wardrobe, looking tired and forlorn. Everyone stared at him in surprise and Jack remarked, his eyebrows rising briefly as Reynolds looked stunned, "Daniel."

Daniel approached him, looking lost as he said, "Jack."

"Do you have any idea what's happening down there?"

Daniel replied, closing his eyes briefly, "She's gone. I can't find her."

Cam remarked angrily as the rest looked shocked at the revelation, "Damn! Why the hell did she trust that ba…"

Daniel shook his head and said, "It's not the Doctor's fault. I couldn't do anything but I saw her go. She disappeared as the DHD overloaded… the energy reacted with the Ancient knowledge in her subconsciousness."

"Ancient knowledge?"

"It had to be there for her to get the powers…"

Jack asked, "Is there any way we can get Carter back?"

Daniel replied quietly, "I don't know."

"Well, seeing as you're all glowy…"

Daniel remarked heatedly, "Jack, damn it, I am doing everything I possibly can to track her down but it's hard! I don't know where she is."

Marks called, everyone's collective attention moving to the view screen as the TARDIS flew into orbit, disappearing into a vortex, "A blue… box has just left the planet surface."

Reynolds asked, "Any idea where it's gone?"

"No Sir."

Everyone looked at Jack who said, looking at Daniel, "We have to find her. I've already lost one Jackson – I'm not losing the other one."

--------------------

When the last two on-duty members of SG-1 and Jack returned to the SGC, they were met at the end of the ramp by Elizabeth and Vala. Cam, mindful of his superior officer's presence as well as the usual gateroom personnel, simply caressed his wife's cheek, asking, glancing at Elizabeth as Vala hugged him, word having reached the SGC via radio earlier that Sam and the Doctor had disappeared,

"What's going on?"

Elizabeth exhaled and raised an eyebrow briefly as she looked at Vala who said, "While you were gone, that wonderful Sergeant from the Nursery tried to contact you, Jack…"

Teal'c and Cam, both highly concerned, looked at Jack, who stepped forward and remarked wearily, "Don't tell me the Jackson quartet have gone missing too…"

Vala shook her head and Elizabeth replied, "They're not missing… they are doing something peculiar though. A couple of hours before you sent that transmission…"

Vala raised her eyebrows briefly and Elizabeth closed her eyes for a moment and then said, walking towards the door, "Follow me."

---------------------

SG-1, Jack and Elizabeth, shortly joined by Sheppard, arrived in a small off-shoot room of the on-base Nursery to find the four Carter-Jackson children holding hands, their eyes closed as they sat in the centre of the room, closely watched by a perplexed yet fearful Carolyn as different coloured lights glowed and spun around them, images of galaxies, planets and different places flickering a few feet above them.

The new arrivals stared at the sight before them in utter shock, Jack remarking quietly, his eyes on his nephews and nieces, "Jesus, Daniel never does anything by halves…"

Cam asked quietly, "What are they doing?"

Elizabeth whispered, all present feeling as the need to whisper as they watched, "I think they're looking for Sam. It happened a couple of hours before General O'Neill sent the radio transmission from the Odyssey before you beamed down to Cimmeria. The Sergeant just said that they suddenly sat together like this and went into a trance."

Carolyn said quietly, looking up, "We need to get them to the Infirmary… I don't know what effect whatever they're doing could have on their bodies… but how?"

Sheppard said with a sigh, "I seem to remember those little babies beaming Sam into that Sarcophagus when her life was in danger back on Atlantis. Maybe they can do the same thing now."

Everyone exchanged glances, and Jack kneeled next to the group, whispering, "Hi… sorry, Uncle Jack here. Could you guys go to the place where Auntie Carolyn works? It's just to check you over with proper equipment… You can carry on… doing whatever you're doing."

Suddenly, the four children disappeared in a flash of white light and everyone looked at Jack who shrugged and remarked as they all ran for the door, "Let's hope they didn't get lost on the way."

The group reached the Infirmary to find the four children sat on two gurneys that had been placed together, surrounded by highly spooked Nurses who stared at the flitting images of people, life forms and places. Carolyn quickly went about setting up equipment, careful not to disturb the children as everyone else watched from what they hoped was a safe distance.

Carolyn, with some help from a Nurse, hooked up an IV to each child, monitoring their conditions on the various monitors that surrounded them. Carolyn then approached the waiting people and said, amazed,

"They're exhibiting similar physiological functions to Daniel and Sam… higher brain waves, higher metabolisms… we're still waiting for the blood tests but everything else is pretty much the same."

Vala asked, looking hopeful, "So, are they looking for Samantha?"

"Judging by the images that keep appearing, it would appear that they are searching for something, although quite who or what, I'm unsure, and as to the parameters… could it be Ancient knowledge, or real space and time? This is unbelievable."

Cam asked, concerned, "Are they going to be alright?"

"They'll be fine. I'm just going to keep monitoring their conditions and hope that they don't do this for long… I don't know what will happen."

Teal'c asked, "Could DanielJackson have given these abilities to all of the children? CameronCarterJackson and JamesCarterJackson do not have extrasensory abilities."

"I really don't know, Teal'c."


	15. Same Time, Same Place

_If you've read the last chapter and it ended with an Odyssey scene, I've extended it so that it includes a couple of scenes at the SGC too. _

_This chapter is based on a dream I had a while back of the Jackson Junior Sam doing a Daniel in another Universe… what? You'll see._

_--------------------_

Meanwhile, on a distant world, Reynolds, dressed in combat gear, approached the DHD after being ordered by Jack to secure a perimeter around the 'gate, and was surprised on seeing a woman with long fair-hair slumped on the ground, unconscious near the device. He checked her pulse and on feeling a very faint rhythm, yelled, looking over his shoulder in the direction of the 'gate,

"Doc!"

Janet Frasier jogged from where she had been bent over her pack near the steps to the 'gate, calling, "What's up, Colonel?"

Reynolds kneeled by the slumped figure as SG-1, consisting of Jack, a shorter haired Sam, a bespectacled Daniel , and Teal'c, ran towards his position, and Janet joined him, everyone gaping in shock when the head of SG-3 gently turned the prone woman over by her shoulder to see that it was none other than Sam.

Everyone exchanged confused glances and then Janet said, tending to the cuts on Sam's face, "Ok, we need to get her back to the SGC… Teal'c?"

Teal'c, a grey streak in his hair, replied as he stepped forward, "Indeed."

Jack said, "We need to find out who she is."

Janet replied as Teal'c picked the Colonel up, "_After_ she gets treatment, Sir."

--------------------

Back at the SGC, as Jack and Hammond stood in the observation room, looking at the scene with grave expressions, Janet and her team went about treating Sam. Daniel wandered in, joining the two men, saying,

"What's happening?"

Hammond looked at the Archaeologist to acknowledge his presence, and Jack replied, his arms folded across his chest as he watched the scene below, "Janet's working on her."

Glancing at Hammond, he continued, reaching into his pocket and opening his closed fist into Daniel's hand, "She was wearing this."

Frowning in curiosity, Daniel opened his hand and practically gaped at the sight of his mother's St Christopher, his mother's initials carved into the back and what appeared to be a wedding ring and an engagement ring threaded onto it, along with a golden scarab, and SGC dog tags inscribed with Earth's point of origin symbol and the name 'Colonel Samantha Carter-Jackson.'

Daniel's face paled and then he looked up at Jack as Hammond left, and asked, scared, "Jack?"

Jack remarked with a wry smile as he ruffled Daniel's hair, "It looks like you get lucky in another Universe, Dannyboy."

Daniel replied, stammering, "I-I'm m-m-married to Sam… uh, that Sam?"

Jack patted him on the back as they looked through the glass, right as machines started beeping erratically. They exchanged a fearful glance, their Sam and Teal'c joining them as Janet yelled, a Nurse wheeling up a defibrillator,

"Code blue!"

SG-1 watched in muted horror as, after several attempts at resuscitating the Colonel, they all heard the chilling sound of a flat-line, and Janet, tearful, looked up at Jack and said, "Sir…"

As Daniel closed his eyes, Carter covering her mouth with her hand as Teal'c stood impassive, Jack nodded solemnly, saying, "Understood, Doc."

Carter, noticing how still Daniel was, placed a hand on his shoulder and he shook her hand off, walking out of the room without a word. Carter, puzzled and upset, looked back at Jack, who shrugged and remarked as he walked out, squeezing her shoulder briefly,

"You've got a lot to learn, Carter."

---------------------

Sam lay on a gurney in the on-base mortuary, Janet having not got around to completely taking off all of the Colonel's clothes due to the critical nature of her treatment, awaiting a post mortem. Swirls of white light danced across the sheet covering most of her body as well as the part not covered by the sheet, and suddenly, Sam sat up bolt upright with a gasp.

She stared at her surroundings in surprise, eventually working out where she was and she raised an eyebrow to herself, wondering why she was in the mortuary of all places, only missing her combat vest, jacket and hat. She closed her eyes, remembering being with the Doctor on the planet, the DHD overloading after the TARDIS arrived, and she stretched, hopping off the gurney. She patted her chest and then paused on realising that her St Christopher, rings, scarab and dog tags were missing.

She approached the door, just as someone peeked in through the small window, said someone doing a double-take and then running away to inform Janet. Puzzled, Sam opened the door and walked out, determined to get her last material memories of Daniel back.

She stopped in her tracks when she was surrounded by SG-1, including Daniel, the Colonel not seeing her alternate self or Janet as she focussed on the Archaeologist, tears springing to her eyes. Unable to prevent herself from crying, she threw herself at him, whispering,

"You came back… you came back. I knew you would."

Daniel looked at Jack who shrugged, at Carter who bit her lip, at Janet whose eyes widened briefly, at Teal'c who raised his eyebrow a couple of millimetres, and then he returned the hug, hesitantly rubbing her back as he said, looking overcome,

"I did."

Sam paused and backed away quickly, sensing something odd. She looked at him curiously and noticing the glasses, asked, "Why are you wearing your glass…"

She trailed off on noticing his bare ring finger and her eyes widened briefly as she said, "Daniel, where's your wedding band?"

Confused and feeling something weird not only from Daniel, she spun around and gaped in shock on seeing a shorter haired version of herself stood next to Janet. Overcome with confusion and emotion, she sank to the floor, her hands covering her mouth as she said,

"Oh my God."

Jack looked at Daniel meaningfully and the Archaeologist, taking the hint, kneeled on the floor next to her and asked, "Sam… what's wrong?"

Sam murmured, her eyes still on the now squirming medic, "Janet's dead. She's been dead for seven years!"

Her eyes closed as she slumped to the floor , unconscious and Daniel grabbed her, preventing her further injury, fear in his and everyone else's eyes.

--------------------

Sam's eyes flickered open and this time, she found herself horizontal on a bed, now dressed in scrubs. The first face she saw was Daniel's, and remembering some of what had happened before she had passed out, she said with a little smile, relieved to see _any_ Daniel,

"Hey."

He smiled back at her, holding her hand as he replied, "Hey yourself. How are you feeling, Colonel?"

She closed her eyes briefly in discomfort, remarking, "I've been better."

Noticing that only Nurses were coming over to check the monitors, she asked, her words sounding surreal, "Where's Janet?"

"Oh, we thought we'd hide her for a bit until you get better. She found something interesting about you though… apparently you have higher brain activity and a higher metabolism than normal."

She exhaled and remarked, "That's a long story."

Noticing how tired she looked, he patted her hand and said gently, "Get some rest – you've had a big day... I don't think anyone in the history of the programme has ever made three Nurses faint by coming back from the dead."

She smiled and remarked, "I know someone else who's downright immortal."

He sat back down and asked, smoothing the back of her hand with his thumbs, the action resulting in tears in her eyes as she remembered her own Daniel doing that, and he said, "How did you end up here?"

She gazed at him, smiling slightly at his innate curiosity, and she replied, turning her hand over to hold one of his hands, "Another long story, but you're a good listener whatever the Universe…"


	16. Briefing

Sam sat at the briefing table with SG-1, waiting for Hammond to come. She looked around at them as they stared at her, both parties still surprised and shocked at not only her presence but the revelation of her relationship with her Daniel. Her eyes moved to Teal'c, particularly the grey streak in his hair, and she asked,

"Uh, Teal'c?"

"ColonelJackson."

"I hope you don't mind me asking but why do you have a grey streak?"

Before he could reply, Jack remarked with a shrug as though they were discussing movies, "Not much to it… us cool cats and Mitchell's men were stuck on the Odyssey for fifty years because _you_… well, our _you_ had to work it all out by herself. There was something about a time dilation field and turning the clock back… T-man won't say a word about what happened although my money's on him and that Vala woman doing the wild thing."

Teal'c shot him an evil glare that would have scared the dead, and Jack said, "What?! You're sweet on Vala."

"I am not of a confectionary nature with regard to ValaMalDoran."

Daniel whispered from her right as Carter looked at furtively, "Don't worry, they're always like this… sometimes I feel like the honorary Canadian having to apologise for that man all the time."

Sam smiled affectionately at the Archaeologist and remarked in reply, "My Daniel used to say that."

Daniel nodded; his attention moving a little too abruptly to Jack's raised eyebrows as she sensed the turmoil within him, and she asked, surprised, "Cam and Vala aren't on SG-1?"

Everyone else looked at her oddly and Carter replied, "Cam did request to be on SG-1 but General Hammond didn't want to mess with the team dynamic. Ferretti was deployed to Atlantis and Cam was given SG-2. Vala joined after her baby went on to pillage the galaxy."

Sam winced at being reminded of Adria, as well as the genetically engineered girl's unhealthy attraction to Daniel, and Daniel picked up from where Sam had left off, pushing his glasses up, "Well, Adria isn't a problem anymore what with the Ori out of the picture."

Jack remarked, scratching the back of his head, "We didn't get as far as their galaxy when warships started imploding."

Sam smiled knowingly and they all looked at her curiously, Daniel asking, "Colonel?"

Sam replied, "We might have had something to do with that. We opened the Ark of Truth… Daniel and I."

The others looked surprised and Daniel said, amazed, "Wow… that means I was right… the Ori came from one Universe and spread throughout the multiverses!"

She smiled at him again, replying, "You were excited during the mission, Jackson. I can always count on you, regardless of the Universe, to think out of the box."

Daniel blushed as Carter raised an eyebrow, inwardly envious, and Sam asked, looking back at Jack, "Sir, why are you still here? In our Universe, you're the head of Homeworld Security, General Landry's retired, Uncle George too… and Daniel and I are joint-heads of the base."

Jack and Teal'c looked at Carter and Daniel, the two scientists staring at each other, and Jack blinked in surprise, remarking, "Excuse me, eggs squeeze me? Baking powder? _You're_ in command of the base?"

Sam nodded and added with a mischievous smile, "And of SG-1 too… SG-1 consisting of myself, Cam, Teal'c, Jonas, Vala… and Daniel. I was also in charge of Atlantis for almost a year while Liz was pregnant."

Her smile vanished, and Carter asked, "What happened to Daniel… uh, your Daniel?"

Sam sighed as she glanced over at the man next to her that was miles away from the man that had left her, and replied, "He ascended again. He had no choice. The Ancients made him do it."

Daniel frowned as he regarded her, deep in thought, and Carter looked at him, asking, "Daniel?"

Daniel shook his head and replied, looking determined, "Ascension doesn't work like that… you have to want it. It's a state of being."

"Well, they found a way around it. Apparently this is also supposed to be a test of my abilities as the Listener."

A deathly hush dropped over the table as everyone looked at her, their jaws practically hitting the table, and Daniel asked in quiet surprise, "You know the prophecy about the Guardian and the Listener?"

Sam remarked wearily as they all stood when Hammond entered the room, "I'm living it."

They all sat after the General sat down, and he asked, looking at Sam and being reminded further how much like her mother she looked, "Colonel Jackson, I do apologise for my lateness. I assume that SG-1 has already asked you a number of questions?"

Sam nodded as Jack remarked, "Uncle George, we beat you to it… did you really think we'd sit here quietly?"

Hammond glared at him for a moment and then asked, his expression softening as he returned his gaze to Sam, "It would be unfair then to ask you to start from the top, so I'll ask for a summary."

Sam smiled and replied, "Ok, Uncle George."

Daniel, gently patting her hand, said, "I'll do it."

After a quick summary of what had been discussed, a very surprised yet professional General looked at Sam and asked, "You're in command of the base?"

She nodded and he raised his eyebrows briefly, and Carter asked, "How did you get promoted?"

"After a three month secondment in Atlantis covering for Shep a few years ago. You mean to tell me you're still an L.T?"

Carter nodded and Jack remarked, putting his hand up briefly, "I still outrank you ass… head, I mean head… whatever. I'm B.G."

Sam replied with a smile, "Oh, our General O'Neill's a Major-General."

"That could be interesting."

Janet joined the briefing table, Sam's gaze moving to her for a moment and then she looked at her lap, saying quietly, "With all respect, I need to get home. My children have lost their father… it would damage them to lose their mother too."

Hammond replied fondly, "Understood, Colonel. You and Colonel Carter can go ahead and work on a solution to get you home again, although it would be interesting to discover how you came to be in our Universe. You were not in the vicinity of any quantum mirrors."

Sam sighed and said, closing her eyes briefly as she looked at the table, glossing over the Doctor's identity, "The Doctor and I were trying to get a ship back so we used a searching program, linking it up to a DHD. It worked but then the DHD overloaded. Really, it shouldn't have thrown me into another Universe because I have had the misfortune to experience an overloaded DHD before. My only hypothesis is that the energy reacted with my elevated brain chemistry and caused me to jump into another Universe via a brief aperture in space and time. In other words, it enabled me to jump sideways, in a similar manner to when I was accidentally transported into another Universe after an accident with Merlin's device."

Carter nodded in understanding and replied, "It could be feasible… we've seen all sorts these past fourteen years."

Janet raised her hand briefly and asked, "Sorry Colonel, but you never said why you had impossible vital statistics… you're brain waves are off the chart and… well, I don't want to be the cynic here but you shouldn't be alive."

Sam nodded as she looked at the woman that was dead in her Universe, and she replied, biting her lip briefly to stop herself from crying, "I told Daniel in the Infirmary."

Daniel nodded in confirmation and Sam continued, glancing at him, "I won't bore you with details of prophecies but I have extrasensory abilities. Daniel does too… he's the one that gave them to me before he ascended so I could look after our babies."

Everyone else looked at her as Janet asked, intrigued, "What kind of abilities?"

Sam reeled off her abilities, and then shocked her audience by demonstrating her telekinetic abilities on a defenceless file that had been lying innocently on the table. It rose a few feet into the air as everyone's eyes moved to it and then it dropped with a small thud onto the table again. Everyone's eyes moved collectively to the Astrophysicist who remarked,

"Come on guys, fourteen years – you've seen a lot worse than that."

She paused and said, tired as she was reminded constantly that she didn't belong, "I need to go home."


	17. Across Time and Space

Sam sat at Carter's lab table, opposite Carter, the two women pushing hypotheses and probability factors back and forth. Suddenly Carter paused and asked, looking at her counterpart as she rested her elbows on the table,

"Isn't it interesting how different things can be as a result of seemingly insignificant differences? We have the same name, we're the same age, but look at you – you're so… _different_."

Sam smiled slightly as she rested her elbows on the table, holding her long hair in her hands behind her neck, and she sighed, replying as she recalled the Alternate Universe that SG-1 had encountered on Ortus Mallum, "It is."

Carter asked, perplexed at her own shyness as her eyes dropped to the table top, "Everything else aside, what happened to you?"

Sam gazed at her for a moment and then said gently, "I faced up to my greatest fear."

Carter met her gaze, startled, and Sam continued with a knowing smile, "Daniel is so worth the pain, he really is. If you thought you were close before, you really are going to be surprised."

Carter sat there dumbfounded and scared, and Sam added, "I don't need to use my powers to know that you're scared. He's scared of exactly the same thing. What if you don't have it in you to make him happy? These past four years, he has smiled so much despite the turbulence in the Milky Way. He has such a beautiful smile and when he uses it, you want to keep it there forever… and he has so much love within him..."

Sam looked at her other self and continued, "I'm just like you, Samantha. I'm just like you… or rather I was. Unfortunately, it took a bad torturing session to make us face up to our feelings for each other. We wasted so much time, but we've been blessed."

Carter smiled shakily and said softly, running her fingers through her short hair, "You have children."

Sam smiled with a sigh, replying as she looked down at the table, "James Cameron, Cameron Janet, Claire Jacqueline and Jacob Christopher."

Carter pressed her lips together, feeling sad at what could have been and Sam looked up suddenly, her eyes on the doorway, a full ten seconds before Daniel appeared, about to knock on the open door. Raising his eyebrows briefly, he looked from Sam to Carter and asked,

"Are you ok?"

The two Sams replied in unison before looking at each other, "Yes, I'm fine Daniel."

Daniel blinked in surprise, and Carter said with a sigh, straightening up, "Our only viable hypothesis is that the energy emitted from the DHD combined with the energy from the Colonel's higher neurological functions created a brief hole in space-time, similar to when McKay resurrected Project Arcturus…"

Sam added, "The hole may have warped somehow so instead of sending me to a completely different place, it sent me to your Universe."

"We have no idea how far apart our two Universes are and whether recreating the same conditions will work."

Daniel nodded and asked Sam, "Can't you use your Ancient powers to search for the right Universe and then Sam could upload the program to a DHD on an empty planet?"

The Sams exchanged a little look and a discreet smile, and Sam said with a sigh, resting her face in her palm, "I don't have that much experience with my powers… Daniel… my Daniel only gave them to me a day or so before he ascended."

--------------------

Back in the home Universe, the Carter-Jackson quartet still in their positions in the Infirmary as SG-1 stood guard with Jack and Carolyn, the images and lights moving now flashing and swirling faster above and around the children, Cam whispered to Carolyn,

"You probably already covered this, but why are Cammie and James there? They don't have Ancient powers."

Carolyn replied, keeping an eye on the children, "I don't know… but I _think_ that maybe they're working the same way as a computer grid. If they're looking for Sam, she could be anywhere in the Universe and perhaps they need Cammie and James' extra brain power to process the data faster… the Universe is a lot bigger than the Pegasus galaxy."

Cam nodded, and then the images and lights stopped. The children's eyes opened and then they disappeared in a flash of white light. Jack grabbed the nearest phone, ordering search teams to look for the four children, remarking eventually,

"It's the SGC… of course I'm sure! Move it."

Cam suggested, looking at his worried wife, "They might have found Sam."

Jack, Teal'c and Sheppard left the Infirmary to join the search and Cam gently kissed Vala before joining them. Carolyn looked at Elizabeth, who remarked, looking worried nonetheless, "It's what we get for working here. Something like this was bound to happen one day."

Carolyn replied with a little smile, "Makes a change from incurable diseases."

--------------------

The Doctor stood in his TARDIS, taking a hammer to part of the central console, exclaiming angrily, "What do you mean you can't find her?! Where can one woman go in a single Universe?! Ok, big Universe but…"

He sighed as he held onto the edge, a stray tear running down his cheek as he said quietly, "I've messed things up before, I'll admit… and that's putting it lightly _without_ sticking in Janx expletives… _but_…"

He walked away from the console, throwing his hands down as he continued, his voice louder, "_But_ screwing up the entire Universe! That is _something else_, Doctor! Honestly, you couldn't find anything better to do than to cause perhaps the death of someone from an age-old prophecy. Wow, it's a new low for me."

He was about to continue his rant when a flash of white light drew his attention to the other side of the console, nearer the door, and he scowled in shock and incomprehension on seeing four fair haired children that he barely recognised from photos that Sam had shown him before.

"What?!"

The children, holding hands, released a stream of white light from the centre of their circle into the TARDIS' console as the Doctor watched with horrified fascination. The console began to hum and he approached it, looking at it and then at the children, remarking in a hushed voice,

"_That_ is impossible. This ship only went to another Universe by accident… _once_. You can't cross boundaries without cracking the fabric of space and time, risking all of creation in the process."

He then frowned and said, looking at a screen in disbelief, "It's tracking her brainwave frequency!"

He looked at the children and asked, "The Colonel is in another Universe?!"

He felt the TARDIS move and he held onto to the console as they just about escaped the gravitational pull of several star systems. His eyes moved back to the children to see that the stream of light now consisted of whites, yellows, greens, pinks, blues and purples as it moved from the console to beneath it, reaching into the heart of the TARDIS.

Curious and fearful for not only the children's safety, but the ship's too, he ran to where the light streamed through the floor and he looked back at the children. Suddenly, the TARDIS stopped. After a pause, the Doctor remarked, walking towards the door as the children's eyes opened,

"Let's go meet the locals."

--------------------

Sam sat in her new quarters in dim light, crying over everything… Daniel's ascension, her being stranded so far away from home and her children, Janet's death, and being so close to yet another Daniel who wasn't hers. Holding her St Christopher and scarab, she curled up on the bed and wept, facing the picture of the whole family that Daniel had given her a frame for earlier. She smoothed the image of Daniel's happy face and whispered,

"I'll find a way to get home again. I have to. Our babies need me."

She was about to drift into a restless sleep when there was a knock at the door. She called,

"What is it?"

Daniel, concerned as he entered the room and saw that her back was to the door, asked gently, "How are you doing, Colonel?"

Sam sat up, wiping away her tears as he closed the door behind him and sat down next to her. She instinctively rested her head on his chest and whispered, her hand on his shoulder as he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he kissed her temple,

"I miss you."

He shushed her, replying, "I'm not him, Sam. Anyway, you'll get him back… how could he stay away from you?"

She sniffed in his hold and remarked quietly as her other hand reached up to caress his neck, much to his inner embarrassment, "He wouldn't have gone – he knew the Ancients had short-sold him before… that's why they forced him. They want to be more human."

Sensing his embarrassment, her hand dropped and she whispered, "Sorry… it's… everything's so instinctive and intuitive with you – it always has been."

Sensing too his inner turmoil and stress, she sat up, pushing him back across the bed. When he made to object, she shook her head and lifted his t-shirt out of his trousers and smoothed his bare stomach. She sat closer to him and smoothed his forehead as he looked up at her, confused, and she said with a little smile,

"You always get so highly strung, Daniel. Just relax."

He closed his eyes after a moment and she smiled slightly, feeling him relax and she remarked quietly, "I bet you never knew that that relaxed you either."

He opened his mouth to speak but she continued, "Ssh, I'm doing this as your friend."

She ran her fingers through his hair, smiling wistfully as she felt his relaxation in smooth but powerful waves. When he fell asleep, she took his boots and glasses off and carefully moved him at a right angle so that he was laying the right way, and she spread a blanket over him, leaning down to kiss him on the cheek. Watching him with sadness in her eyes for a moment, she sat down in a nearby chair and continued to watch over him.

She, resting her head against the back of the chair and ready to go to sleep, opened her eyes in shock on sensing something out of the ordinary. Leaving Daniel in bed, she opened the door and made to sprint down the corridor when the SF guarding her room asked,

"Ma'am, where's Doctor Jackson?"

Sam replied, "He's asleep."

The SF looked at her sceptically and Sam, exasperated, raised a hand, focussing on the man in front of him. Suddenly, his eyes closed and he slipped down the wall to the floor, fast asleep. Checking that he was going to be alright, and taking his swipe card, she sprinted down the corridors, using the SF's swipe card to use the lift.

Reaching the lowest level of the SGC, she sprinted full-pelt down a couple of corridors, reaching the gateroom where the TARDIS stood, the Doctor and her children standing in front of it, SFs' guns aimed at them, Hammond and the rest of SG-1 in the control room above.

The Doctor grinned on seeing her, saying with a little wave, "Colonel!"

Sam smiled, her smile growing wider on seeing both sets of twins, and an SF yelled, aiming a gun at her, "Stay where you are, Ma'am!"

Sam rolled her eyes, raising a hand as his gun and the others' guns fell to the side, much to the SFs', Hammond's and SG-1's collective surprise, and Sam ran to the children, kneeling in front of them to hug them as they excitedly called their mother. Closing her eyes, she whispered,

"I thought I'd never see you again."

She looked up at a chipper Doctor, confused, and asked, still holding the children, "Why are they here?"

The Doctor remarked as SG-1 and Hammond eventually filed in, shortly joined by an embarrassed Daniel, "Oh, these four? They found you. My TARDIS… pfft. Your children, on the other hand… they somehow got onto my ship while I was looking for you and steered us here."

Sam got up and pulled the Doctor into a tight hug as he returned it with an equal ferocity, saying quietly, "I thought I'd lost you."

Jack cleared his throat and remarked, "Hate to break up the moment an' all, Colonel but would you care to explain why Daniel looks as though he just got laid, and Hammond of Texas' gateroom is now home to a TARDIS, a man that looks like the tenth time lord, and four children?"

As Daniel and Hammond shot Jack some really evil looks, Sam, picking up Jacob, the other children clinging to her legs, replied, "This really is the time lord, Sir… and these are the Carter-Jackson quartet…"

She met the Doctor's gaze and continued with a grin, "The best children in the multiverses."

As Janet entered the gateroom, Daniel asked, his eyes wistful, "Which of them is the Duality?"

Sam replied, looking down at Claire, "The youngest two."

She looked around at the gathered personnel and said with a small smile, "I guess this is goodbye."

Approaching Janet, she pulled her into a hug and whispered into her ear, "We named James and Cammie after you… Cammie's middle name is Janet. Cassie's a Doctor and she's living with us after coming back from working with MSF."

Janet looked at her, touched and surprised as Sam held her gaze for a moment and then moved on to the rest of SG-1. Reaching Carter, she placed her hand over her counterpart's abdomen, a white light glowing from her palm, and a startled Carter looked at Sam, who whispered with a little smile,

"You're not going to menopause for a while."

As tears welled in Carter's eyes, Sam finally reached Daniel, and hugged him tightly, tears in her eyes as she whispered, "I always hate saying goodbye to you."

She held his face in her hands, smoothing his jaw and under his eyes as he gazed at her, and then she kissed him, everyone else turning away out of embarrassment and politeness. He froze, completely thrown and she pulled back, remarking with a sheepish smile,

"Sorry… force of habit."

Jack remarked in a stage whisper, "Well, I'd pay to see _that_ Daniel… the guy must actually smile."

James and Cammie's faces lit up on seeing Daniel, James calling with a grin as they barrelled towards him, "Daddy!"

Sam, wistful, stopped them, saying gently as she turned briefly to see Claire clinging onto the Doctor's leg as the Gallifreyan stooped to smooth her hair, "Not quite, Junior."

As Hammond and the rest of SG-1 watched, Janet rushing out, Daniel crouched on the floor and smiled at James and Cammie who were jabbering a mile a minute, and he said, smoothing both their faces, "Hello, you two."

On noticing Cammie's resemblance to his mother, he looked up at Sam who smiled slightly and nodded, saying quietly, "Like you too."

She sighed and then said to the older twins, "Come on, Cammie, James, we've got to get going with Uncle Doctor."

James held Daniel's hand and Sam pressed her lips together briefly before saying, tears springing in her eyes, "He isn't your Daddy."

The older twins frowned in confusion, and Cammie said, "Silly Mommy… Daddy's here."

Sam closed her eyes for a moment and raised her hand above the children, focussing for a moment and then they disappeared. As everyone else looked on in shock, Daniel slowly standing again, the Doctor peeked into the TARDIS, calling on seeing the twins,

"_That_ isn't for climbing!"

She was about to turn around to join him when she remembered something. Digging into her pocket, she pulled out the swipe card she had taken from the SF earlier and gave it to Daniel, saying with a little smile,

"You might want to give it back to the poor Sergeant that was guarding my quarters."

Daniel smiled back, saying quietly as he ducked his head, "He said he was just resting."

She whispered, "It was either that or having him find you asleep."

She smoothed his jaw and with one last look around at everyone, including a very curious albeit struggling to be nonchalant Jack who had used his Special Forces training, chiefly the lip-reading, and Janet returned, holding Sam's jacket, TAC vest, zat, P-90, and hat, saying,

"Sorry! Thought I was going to be too late. Here's your stuff."

Sam smiled as she took it from the medic gratefully, beaming it to the TARDIS, Janet smiling up at Jacob and trying not to let the beaming freak her out, and Daniel said, "Uh, Colonel? That photo in…"

Sam turned around and replied with a grin, "Consider it a souvenir."

She looked around at everyone one last time and then waved at Walter up in the control room, who had almost been crowded out by various curious personnel, and then, gently kissing Jacob on the cheek, she said as Claire joined them,

"Say bye-bye."

As she smoothed Claire's head, the little girl waved, shyly holding onto her mother's leg and Jacob waved too, saying with a grin, "Bye-bye!"

Holding Claire's hand, Sam walked to the Doctor who asked, "Are you ready to go home?"

Sam nodded and remarked, "I hope so."

She kissed him on the cheek and entered the TARDIS, and a smiling Doctor waved at the gathered personnel, calling cheerfully, "It was very nice to have seen you all…"

His gaze falling on Teal'c, he gestured to his own hair briefly and said, "Uh… nice grey streak, Teal'c. Makes you look wise… not that you weren't wise before. In fact, you make Spock look dense. Anyway… Cheerio!"

He entered the TARDIS, and Jack remarked as he watched Daniel gazing at the noisy fading box wistfully, "So many questions, so many short tempers… I'd be interested to know what happened in the Colonel's quarters."

Carter stepped up behind Daniel, placing a hand on his shoulder, the Archaeologist glancing back at her momentarily, and then he placed a hand over hers. The TARDIS gone, Hammond, Janet, Teal'c and an amused Jack left, and Carter said, looking sad, her hand still on his shoulder,

"Her universe wasn't that different."

He turned to face her and replied, longingly caressing her face, "It wasn't."

She asked after a pause, looking up at him fearfully, "Why _do_ we wait so long to tell people how we really feel?"

He replied, the faintest trace of tears in his eyes as he gazed at her, "Because we're geeks."

They stared at each other, scared to take the next step and then they hugged. They parted, gazing at each other still, and then, caressing her cheek, he gently kissed her on the lips. They parted again and she, tears in her eyes, said before resting her head on his shoulder,

"I never knew."

Running his fingers through her hair, he closed his eyes and replied quietly, "I could say the same for you. God, you have no idea how long I have been waiting."

Jack, watching the scene from behind a stunned Walter up in the control room, remarked to Teal'c next to him, "How long do you reckon it'll be 'til we're Uncles?"

Teal'c replied, still watching the scene below, this time smiling a little, "It will not be long…"

Jack said, smiling too, "Let's hope President Weir's gonna let 'em stay on the team."

--------------------

Aboard the TARDIS, floating through space, the Doctor asked after Sam had appeared in the main room from placing her children in bed in another part of the ship, "So… how do I get us all home? Really, the TARDIS shouldn't be working due to being in another Universe but I'm thinking Jacob and Claire did something."

Sam nodded and replied, "They just added some power…"

He, noticing something, asked, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Doctor. It's been a long day. I saw Janet… I saw Daniel…"

She sighed and continued, looking at something on the wall, "Everything was so different."

Sensing that she needed comfort, he approached her and pulled her into a hug, the Astrophysicist resting her head on his shoulder as she closed her eyes. He said quietly,

"I'm going to get you home… hopefully."

She shook her head with a little smile in his hold and remarked, "I never thought I'd go all technologically-superior on anyone, never mind the Timelord, but it's beyond the capabilities of your ship. You'll need me."

She straightened up and he asked, serious, "Can you get us home?"

"I don't know but I think I can get us out of this Universe."

"The twins didn't look _that_ tired."

"I don't want to risk it."

"Ah."

Exhaling, she walked to the console, raising her hands above it and closed her eyes as white light streamed from her palms. He stood next to her, worried and intrigued, and ready to catch her should she fall. She forced herself to focus as the ships engines thrummed, the Timelord remarking excitedly,

"Now we're talking!"

He added quietly, watching her with concern, "I just hope your body can take it."

The ship finally stopped and she collapsed from the exertion, the Doctor catching her quickly, saying, "Colonel!"

She remarked as he sat her down, sitting next to her as he made sure she was alright, "I'm fine, Doc… just stupendously tired."

"Do you think you can walk?"

She closed her eyes and then replied as she slowly got up, "I'll get there."

He helped her up, his arm around her waist as she looked drained but determined, and he opened the door, peeking out to see the SGC gateroom full of armed personnel surrounding the ship. Glancing back as the four Carter-Jackson children appeared, the Doctor, holding a weak Sam, remarked cheerfully to the soldiers as the rest of SG-1 and Jack made their way through the crowd with a crowd of their own,

"Always nice to see you, whatever the Universe. Give my regards to Sergeant Thorpe, won't you?"

Sam, now feeling better, straightened up, the Doctor's arm still around her waist and Jack pulled her into a hug and said, "Carter, I swear, you and your husband have something going down to make me completely white… I'm still trying to avoid getting a total blizzard up there..."

Sam smiled and clung onto him, whispering, "It's great to be back Sir."

Cammie and James ran out excitedly into Teal'c's and Cam's arms as Carolyn stepped forward to make sure Sam was alright, the Colonel reaching behind herself to pick up the youngest twins. Jack looked from the children to the Doctor and remarked, slowly raising his eyebrows,

"Long briefing?"

Sam smiled wistfully as she remembered the other Daniel, and the Doctor ruffled the older man's hair and retorted with a laugh, "I just love how you understate things! Of course it's going to be long… but interesting too."

Sam stepped forward as she let herself be embraced by her friends, Jack remarking to the Doctor, "You're a pain in the ass, but you're worth it."

The Doctor replied seriously as he watched Sam, "I should hope so, General."


	18. His Office

After a briefing and a series of medical exams, Sam sat alone in Daniel's original office, closing her eyes during a moment of quiet reflection. She rested her elbows on his desk, her face in her palms and she looked around at her surroundings. Despite the office, in recent years, falling into Jonas' possession and then turning into an unofficial Daniel museum, it still whispered Daniel's name. Wherever she looked, subtle reminders of him were everywhere, and she smiled slightly as she remembered that he used to come in to move things above when it was Jonas' office, never quite relinquishing ownership.

She whispered to the empty room, "I wish you'd come home again."

She nearly leapt out of her skin when he replied from somewhere off to her right, "Me too, but that other plain of existence is a big place and there are so many of them."

Tears welling in her eyes, she looked at him, dressed casually yet again, and she couldn't bring herself to move, whispering, overcome, "Oh God."

Smiling a smile full of wistfulness, of regret and relief, he slowly approached her and kneeled down beside her chair. Taking her hands in his, he looked up at her and said, gently pushing her hair behind her ear,

"I'm glad you're back, Samantha."

Releasing her hands, she threw her arms around him and hugged him, taking the opportunity to touch him without feeling guilt like she had with the other Daniel. She sniffed back her tears and whispered as he kissed her neck, tears in his own eyes,

"When do you think you'll come home?"

"I don't know."

"You're supposed to be their leader – surely you can make the rules?"

He replied, gazing at her with earnest as she back away enough to look at him, "It's true that I can't be judged but I have so much responsibility with…"

She caressed his jaw with her thumb as she said, angry, "They short-sold you the last time, Daniel. What makes you think that they'll be any better now?"

He shook his head and replied, "I broke rules that last time. You know – I showed you…they didn't care about Abydos – they objected against me indirectly or otherwise taking a life when I got even with Nirrti for torturing you. Abydos, to them, was the last straw."

She gazed at him sadly and he continued, "If there was a way to come home, I would do it..."

She added, tears running down her cheeks, "Just as long as it doesn't harm anyone…oh you."

He held her hands again and smoothed her cheek, saying, "I don't want to be an Ancient, Sam. That first time, I wanted to make a difference. The second time, I didn't ascend because of you… this time, they didn't give me a choice because they knew I would say 'no'."

She hugged him again, running her fingers through his hair, breathing in his scent which she was surprised was still there as he had converted into energy, his body now being only a representation of what had once been. He whispered, his voice heavy with tears,

"I want to come home. I miss you. I miss our babies. I miss everything. You were stuck all the way in another Universe and I couldn't save you. I couldn't even find you…"

She gently kissed his hair and replied, tears running down her face, "Our babies did, Daniel. Please don't beat yourself up about it. The Doctor couldn't do it either."

He nodded dolefully and remarked sarcastically, "Oh yeah, the Doctor…"

Smiling through her tears, she remarked, "Are you jealous, Daniel?"

He sulked and replied, "No."

She laughed softly and then said, her tears continuing as she caressed his jaw, "There's only one man for me, and he's sulking over a Timelord right now."

She then asked, "How long can you stay for?"

He gazed at her with regret as he heard a chiming noise in his ear, and he said, "They're calling me now."

"Tell them where to shove their enlightenment."

"Oh, I have; many times, but apparently this is part of my journey that started when I opened the 'gate. I've been able to put Shifu, my ascensions, us, our babies and everything in context because of this, but I don't care about contextualising… this is taking me from the most important person in my life."

Hearing a louder and more intrusive chime this time, he leaned forward and kissed her, and then he was gone as she began to cry again, not noticing, or caring for that matter that the lights were flickering. She sensed Cam a full minute before he walked straight in, pulled up a chair, and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He smoothed her hair and said, resting his cheek against her hair,

"It's ok, Sam. Just let it all out."


	19. Convergence

_Big, big thanks to Chem Girl for reminding me to include someone else from the Doctor Who Universe… as the Doctor here is vaguely from after season 3 (surprise!), it isn't an assistant that turns up… _

_The rhyme later in this chapter took ages to write… lol._

_--------------------_

One afternoon, Vala and Elizabeth at the house, Cammie and James played with their blocks and dolls as the younger twins and Charlotte joined in, sometimes having their efforts corrected or obliterated by the older children, while Francis took to crawling around everyone and squealing with laughter.

Sam remarked, kneeling behind the mêlée to make sure that it didn't turn ugly, "Yeah… it figures. I think Francis is going to be a lot like Cam."

When Vala pouted, Elizabeth raising an eyebrow briefly, Sam continued, "Puh-lease! He may have your dark hair but he isn't pocketing any of the blocks."

Vala retorted, feigning innocence, "I don't recall misappropriating wooden blocks!"

Elizabeth smiled and said, watching the little boy laugh again, "He's mischievous though. Look at him hiding blocks from James."

Vala said, folding her arms across her chest, "See, just like me."

Sam shook her head with a little smile and replied, "No, that's like Cam when he teases Daniel… and he's so cheerful."

Elizabeth sighed and was about to speak when the phone rang. Closing her eyes briefly, Sam said, perplexed at first as she sensed who it was, "It's Lorne…"

Her eyes widening in shock as she grabbed the phone, she smiled and said, "It could be Jennifer!"

Elizabeth and Vala glanced at each other as Sam answered the phone, "Hey Lorne."

Surprised, the Major replied, "Ma'am, how did you know it was… oh right, yes. Anyway… just called to say that Jennifer and I are parents. Helen Keller-Lorne, born a couple of hours ago. Mommy and baby are doing fine."

Sam grinned and said, looking at her friends, "That's great news! Congratulations! Oh, we'll try to see you guys a little later on. That's amazing…"

After she had put the phone down, Vala remarked, "Let me guess, Jennifer's now a man and that agreeable Major is a woman."

Elizabeth looked at her in disbelief and Sam rolled her eyes, saying, "No… they're parents."

Elizabeth smiled, saying, "They'll be great."

Vala said, "They would be… Major Lorne looks like he would be good with babies."

The other women nodded in agreement, Cammie approaching her mother and giving her a block. Sam smoothed the little girl's cheek and asked, noticing her now subdued expression,

"What's wrong sweetie?"

"Where's Daddy gone?"

Sam pressed her lips together and then said, tears in her eyes, "He never left, Cammie. He's with you, inside."

Cammie frowned and then asked, pointing to her chest, "In here?"

Sam nodded and quickly wiped away a couple of tears and then smiled as Cammie looked down at her chest and said, "'ello Daddy."

James planted himself in his mother's lap, Sam caressing his cheek as he said, "Daddy's watchin' us."

She held the two of them close and said as Elizabeth silently gestured to Vala that they should go into the kitchen, "You'll see him one day."

She gently placed the twins down on the floor, smoothing the youngest twins' and Charlotte's heads as they offered her gummy smiles, and she picked up the perpetually happy Francis and said, kissing his nose,

"You'll enjoy teasing your Uncle Daniel one day."

Just then, as Vala and Elizabeth re-emerged from the kitchen, the alien shouted, "Behind you!" as a tall creature in a dark cloak appeared behind the Colonel, a white helmet on his head that appeared to have been made from the skull of some poor interstellar bovine. Sam, acting quickly, shouted to the other women,

"Get the kids upstairs… now!"

As Elizabeth and Vala fled with the children to the relative safety of the first floor, the Doctor appearing in the doorway and finding his Sonic Screwdriver non-functional, Sam faced the alien, ready to use her powers on it when a man in military clothes leapt out of nowhere, wrestling the creature to the ground.

The Doctor said chirpily despite the situation as Sam looked confused, "Captain Jack!"

Sam leaned down to help Captain Jack when he said in an American accent, putting a hand up to stop her, "No! Don't touch him! You'll forfeit the fight."

Sam stood back as the new arrival struggled with the creature and the Doctor said, perplexed at not only his Sonic Screwdriver not working, "What the hell is a Sycorax doing here?!"

As the Captain continued to struggle with the creature, a flash of bluish white light drew Sam's and the Doctor's attention to the other side of the couch where three women appeared, the one whom appeared to be the youngest shouting,

"Now!"

The middle one, with long dark hair, threw a small vial at the creature, the vial bursting into flame as it touched the Sycorax, and the women read from a piece of paper in unison as Sam wondered whether she was finally going nuts, the Doctor scowling in disbelief,

"We call upon the burning fire,  
In the fog, wind and mire,  
To rid this place of demon,  
To give it back to reason."

While the Captain continued to struggle with the creature, pulling a small syringe out of his pocket and ripping the cap of with his teeth, ready to plunge it deep into its skin, the woman to the right with shoulder length wavy brown hair, said through clenched teeth,

"It's not working!"

The middle woman remarked in the same voice, "That was the best rhyme I could up come up with!"

The woman at the other end with short dark hair, asked, "Couldn't we try another spell?"

When the Captain yelled that the injection that should have killed or at least rendered the thing unconscious, hadn't had the slightest effect, the middle woman said, looking at Sam,

"We're probably not the ones to fight it. Phoebe?"

She turned to look at the short haired woman and said, gesturing to Captain Jack, "You might want to stop Captain America over there."

Phoebe ran and pulled the Captain to safety, saying as he looked surprised, "Sorry… for your own safety. Piper?"

She looked at the woman with the long dark hair, who threw her hands in the direction of the Sycorax several times in an attempt to freeze it but with no effect. She looked at the other woman, saying,

"Paige?"

As the Sycorax reached for his sword, Paige waved her hand and shouted, "Sword!"

When the sword remained where it was, the women stared at each other, Captain Jack scratching his head in puzzlement, asked, "Who are you ladies?"

The Doctor strolled in and said, standing in front of the Sycorax, "What are you doing here…eh? That nasty woman blew your ship to bits."

The Sycorax roared, speaking, much to Sam's amusement, in a raspy Welsh accent, "I am here to kill the Listener and to win the Duality. I am the last of my kind."

"I'm the last of my kind too but I don't go around killing people."

"Enough!"

The Sycorax swiped the Doctor across the face, sending him flying across the room, unceremoniously whacking against a wall as Captain Jack helped him up, and as the Sycorax advanced on Sam, a flash of white light attracted everyone's attention to a spot near Sam where Daniel appeared along with Claire and Jacob.

Daniel threw his hands forth, white light streaming from his hands as he focussed in anger at the warrior, the children doing the same. The Sycorax raised a hand to shield his face but then put his hand down when he felt nothing. Daniel and the children focussed harder but to no avail and Sam, fearful for the younger twins' safety, beamed them back upstairs as Daniel refused to give up.

The Sycorax walked past him and advanced on Sam as she got ready, saying to Daniel, "It looks like it's my fight again, Daniel."

He gazed at her sadly and replied, "I knew it was but I didn't want it to be."

He stood next to the Doctor and Captain Jack, and the three other women as Sam blocked a strike from the warrior, SG-1 appearing in the doorway and being stopped from joining in by the Doctor. Sam ducked the warrior's blows, having more confidence in her level three combat skills than her Ancient powers.

She fought back as he swung his sword at her, kicking him in the midriff, and sending him flying backwards. The Doctor called as her friends looked on fearful,

"Ooh, nice kick, Colonel!"

She wrestled the warrior to the ground, punching him repeatedly as Daniel, fearful for Sam's safety and admittedly jealous of the Doctor, called, "Nice one, Samantha!"

The Sycorax overpowered her, swiping her across the room. Teal'c made to step forward when the Doctor stopped him, saying quietly, "You can't… it'll forfeit the duel and he'll kill everyone and take Claire and Jacob."

Sam got back up, wiping the blood from her face and bruised lip, and she continued, kicking the warrior's feet from beneath him. When he quickly got up, Daniel called,

"Use your powers, honey! You can do it."

Sam closed her eyes, her hands outstretched as she focussed on the warrior. He stopped in puzzlement, making a noise of bewilderment and then fear as white light engulfed him, the white light then exploding into white and yellow orbs.

Daniel was at her side as she looked drawn, but still standing, and he pulled her into his arms as she began to cry. Jack remarked, glancing from his ascended best friend to the Doctor and Captain Jack, and the three women,

"I imagine we'll get to the who-the-hell-are-yous now."

Sam straightened up, Daniel's arm around her shoulders as Captain Jack gestured to the women, saying, "Ladies' first."

Piper replied, "Well… this is Phoebe, that's Paige, and I'm Piper. We're the Charmed Ones."

As everyone else exchanged puzzled yet bemused looks, Captain Jack approached Sam and said, choosing not to notice Daniel's presence, "And I'm Captain Jack Harkness… nice to meet you, Ma'am."

He kissed the back of her hand as Daniel shot him a cold look, Sam looking a little embarrassed, and the Captain continued, "I followed the Sycorax here…"

Piper added, "Us too… He trashed our loft, just like everyone else does."

Phoebe said gently, looking at Sam with a smile, "We know who you are. The demon was after your children. You did well."

"Are you kidding, Phoebe?! She knocked him down faster than the pins on bowling night. Nice call on the Whitelighter powers, by the way."


	20. Explanations

_Lyrics right at the end of the chapter are from Afternoon Delight by Starland Vocal Band. lol._

_--------------------_

"Well, ok, I'll start from the beginning seeing as you guys are staring at us like we've jumped straight out of a TV set…" Piper began as everyone except for Daniel sat around the briefing table, the children in the on-base Nursery, gaping at the three women at the head of the table. Looking around at the gathered people, Piper closed her eyes briefly and then said,

"Ok people… we are the Charmed Ones. The real Charmed Ones… Holly Marie Coombs, Alyssa Milano and Rose McGowan are just actresses that play us in a rather flashy if not slightly ridiculous show that acts as a cover story for us."

Sam stuck her hand up and when Piper looked at her, put her hand down and asked, "Sorry… but aren't the Charmed Ones witches?"

Piper rolled her eyes and replied, throwing her hands down, "We are not witches! The characters on the show are witches… it's a good enough explanation for the powers without going all Star Trek on everyone."

She looked at Phoebe, who picked up from where she had left off, but in a more gentler and upbeat manner, "What is magic? Well, magic is simply illusions and subterfuge just like the Nox, or to bring in two very icky examples, the Goa'uld and the Ori. Magic is not powerful at all. We're not magicians. Our 16th century ancestor, Melinda Warren, was the daughter of a Whitelighter… or an Ancient as you guys call them, and a normal… earthling…"

Paige muttered without moving her lips much, "Earthling?"

Piper raised an eyebrow briefly at her as Phoebe continued, "… she was caught using her powers and accused of being a witch, and I'm sure most of you here are familiar enough with the Salem Witch trials as it is."

Everyone, including Vala but excluding the ever stoic Teal'c, winced at the thought of what had happened to the Charmed Ones' ancestor.

Jack asked, raising his hand briefly, "Is that why you have this whole female line thing going on?"

The three women exchanged glances and then Paige nodded, replying, "Yes. Somewhere along the line, the family name changed to Halliwell, and here we are."

Captain Jack cleared his throat and said, "I suppose you'll want to know…"

He was cut off by Cam asking a question as Vala raised an eyebrow at him and the Captain remarked under his breath, "You'd think they didn't have any women here…"

Sam rolled her eyes on noticing how all the men except for Teal'c, Captain Jack and the Doctor, were hanging onto every word the Charmed Ones said and she quietly slipped out, drawn by some indefinable instinct to Daniel's quarters. Sighing, she shut the door behind her and leaving the light off, she clung onto his pillow and began to cry, allowing herself some emotional release after the huge fight to protect her children, and then Daniel having to go again.

"Samantha."

Surprised, she turned to her right to see him, sat next to her and glowing in the darkness. Clinging onto his pillow still, she whispered, "I wish you wouldn't keep on going and coming. Why can't you stay for once? I feel dead inside each time you go."

Sadness in his clear eyes, he replied after a pause as he caressed her jaw, "I have twelve hours. They're letting me stay here for twelve hours and then I have to go back. I just hid so I didn't detract from what's going on."

She asked, tears running down her cheeks, "Why?"

He shook his head and said gently, "I don't know."

They gazed at each other for a moment and then both simultaneously looked at their laps. He asked, "So… the Charmed Ones are real but not witches…"

She smiled, falling into their old conversational habits as she replied, "Yep, and the guys are staring at them… although I suppose I have to give Teal'c, Captain Jack and the Doctor some credit… I think Shep and Cam are going to get some words thrown at them later on."

"Yeah."

"I can't believe that it's all real… magic notwithstanding, that the Charmed Ones have a stronger Ancient gene than say, the General and…"

She sighed and said, looking up at him, "I don't know where that Sycorax came from."

He replied, looking angry, "I'd like to find the so-and-so who sent him and zap his ass."

"Captain Jack's surprisingly reserved."

Noticing the flash of jealousy in his eyes, she remarked, amused at first, "Relax Daniel. Even though you're in another plain of existence, I'm still holding out for you."

Looking increasingly sad, he said, "I wish you wouldn't. You have your whole life ahead of you and are children need you."

She raised an eyebrow and asked, annoyed, "Are you saying that I should move on? That I should find someone else? That isn't going to happen, Daniel… not in a million years. You're the last one. It's either you or no-one."

A glowing tear ran down his cheek as he said, looking down at his hands, "You need love, Sam. You need someone who's always there for you, who can love you… who can give you everything that you want and everything that you deserve…"

He continued as he met her gaze, "I can't give you any of that. I love you so much Sam, but face it, I'm an idiot."

She shook her head and remarked tearfully, "But you're my idiot. I want you and no-one else is going to be able to be half the man you are."

He shook his head and she continued, "Other guys would have so much hubris in them being all glowy with phenomenal cosmic power at their disposal, but you're still the same… don't ever change."

She kissed him on the cheek and he closed his eyes. He then held her close and whispered, "I miss you so much. I want to come home."

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed his neck, whispering back, "I wish you'd come home too."

One of her hands slipped under his cream sweater to find, to her surprise, that she could feel skin. She looked down and he remarked with a little smile as he gazed at her,

"I'm all yours for… ooh, about eleven hours now."

She sniffed against his shoulder as he gently caressed her shoulder and she kissed him as she worked on removing his sweater, his hands working on her top. Eventually lying on top of him on his bed, she remarked in amusement as she looked down at him as her hair fell around her face, his fingers reaching up to play with a strand, on hearing him hum the tune to Afternoon Delight, something that he did on occasion when he was mortal,

"Daniel, it's the evening!"

"Close enough."

"_Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight  
gonna grab some afternoon delight.  
My motto's always been; when it's right, it's right.  
Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night.  
When everything's a little clearer in the light of day.  
And you know the night is always gonna be there any way_…"


	21. Grace

After the furore had somewhat died down, Sam allocating a female SF to escort the Charmed Ones and a male one for Captain Jack on base, the Astrophysicist went in search of the Captain. Finding him playing cards with what appeared to be most of SG-3 in the Commissary, she stood watching them for a moment until one by one they realised that she was standing there, and they each stood to attention, apologising. She dismissed them and sat down opposite the Captain, who asked as he cut his pack of cards and shuffled them,

"So what happened to Doctor Jackson?"

She replied, looking down at her hands in her lap briefly, "He went back."

He didn't say anything for a moment, unsure of what to say, and she asked, "Why did you come here? Ok, I know you were chasing the Sycorax…"

He smiled and replied, "I was chasing the Sycorax but that was only my secondary objective. You see, the Charmed Ones, the Doctor and myself are here to protect you."

Blinking in surprise despite being told something similar by Phoebe before, she said, "I've heard that already, but why?"

"Ok, what I say now, I say as your friend…"

She raised an eyebrow at him and he shrugged, continuing, "You're not able to protect the Duality. Well you are, but you won't be able to."

Puzzled, she asked, "Why not? I have these powers…"

"But you were never meant to take care of them solely. True, you're the back-up for the Guardian but you've got to admit that Doctor Jackson is way more powerful than you, and plus, he's got more experience in the whole glowy realm of things… What I'm trying to say is that you can't do this by yourself. There's a common theme of twos…"

The Doctor strolled in at that moment and picked up the thread, saying as he sat down next to a still surprised Sam, "The Duality wouldn't have found you that quickly if they hadn't used Cammie and Jacob. You see, everything in this life, in creation depends on twos, with very few exceptions. Man and woman…"

Glancing at Captain Jack who shot him a bemused look, he continued, "Fine, man and man, woman and woman… hot and cold, fire and water, air and earth, north and south, east and west. In your case…"

He looked at Captain Jack again, who shrugged this time, and then the Doctor patted Sam's shoulder as he said, getting up, "Come on Colonel, I'd like you to meet someone."

--------------------

The Doctor led Sam into the TARDIS, through the control room as he said, "You know when you asked whether I travel alone…?"

Looking around at her surroundings again, having never really got the fact that the outside was on the inside, she replied distractedly, "Yes."

"Well, I sort of lied."

Her attention snapped back to him as she asked, cautious, "_Sort of_ lied?"

He remarked casually, "I wasn't sure if it would cause problems with bureaucracy and all those inconvenient little things you humans use to while away the hours."

He paused and then said with a grin, turning around, "There's a thought… I've never really sung the score from the Wizard of Oz… except that time on Canis Major IV… '_Oh, I could while away the hours, conferring with the flowers, consulting with the rain…_'"

Looking down for a moment, she said in warning, "Doctor."

"Right! Yes… anyway, follow me."

She rolled her eyes as he led her up a spiralled staircase and then into a room with a large screen that was divided up into fifteen squares, each one containing a TV programme or a music video. She stood there, transfixed as she looked up at it, instantly attempting to work out how it worked. The Doctor, smiling knowingly, stood behind a soft chair, in which sat a young woman with sun bleached light brown hair.

He cleared his throat and said, "Colonel."

Sam looked at him and said, looking amazed, "It's… how many signal bands is that thing receiving?"

"A lot… now will you focus?!"

She murmured an apology and then noticed the young woman who now looked a little shy. The Doctor said with a smile,

"Colonel Jackson, meet my travelling companion, Grace."

Sam shook the young woman's hand, saying, "Nice to meet you."

Grace replied, "Likewise, Colonel."

Sam looked to the Doctor and asked, "Why did you wait until now?"

The Doctor replied seriously, "I think you need to pay a visit to Doctor Quinn."

Confused, she asked, "Wh…"

Suddenly realisation hit her and she staggered backwards, scared out of her head as she stared at the young woman, now noticing how much like herself she looked, and she said, shaking her head, "No… no, I can't be."

The Doctor nodded and said, "That's the reason why Doctor Jackson was visible to you for twelve hours. He didn't know about it though."

She shook her head again and said, wiping away a stray tear, "I can't be… he.. oh God, he wasn't corporeal. He only took on that form…"

She sank into a nearby chair, pensive and then looked up at Grace with a sigh. She remarked shakily, "Well, I guess this isn't the first time that one of my children have come to visit me but at that time, they were already born."

She looked up at the Doctor and asked, "You're in our future?"

He nodded and said, patting Grace on the shoulder, "We're on first name basis… well, no, not first name per se seeing as… No, we're on a Doctor-Sam basis."

Sam slowly got to her feet and kneeled by Grace's chair, noticing her cerulean eyes, and she closed her eyes before pulling the younger woman into a hug and saying, gently caressing her back, "I'm sorry for my reaction… it was a shock to say the least."


	22. Tiny Steps

Sam, sworn to secrecy by the Doctor on Grace's identity, sighed as she contemplated her potential situation. In a moment of mirth, she thought that, if true, Grace would be the first Carter-Jackson to be naturally conceived, the others being as a result of drugs or an Ancient prophecy. She entered the Infirmary, and Carolyn, on one of her rounds, said on seeing her,

"Hey Sam… what's up?"

Sam asked, a little nervous, "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Carolyn, sensing something much more than a moment, nodded and said, lifting her clipboard briefly, "I won't be a minute… go sit in my office."

Sam nodded and did as she was told, almost breaking down when she was alone. She composed herself just in time for the medic's entry. Carolyn, her mind running over many hypotheses for Sam's subdued demeanour, sat down behind her desk and said, watching with concern as Sam looked down at her hands,

"Sam, what's wrong?"

Sam didn't speak for a long moment, and then she said, in a quiet voice, "Would it be possible for _someone_ to get pregnant as a result of a liaison with… with an Ancient?"

Carolyn stared at her, dumbfounded as she realised what was going on. Quickly composing herself and playing along, she replied, "Well, it depends whether that _someone_ hasn't been taking contraceptive shots, and whether her Whitelighter released any corporeal sperm."

Sam looked up, startled, and Carolyn remarked, "You're not really good at this whole _obfuscate_ thing are you?"

Sam bit her lip and cut to the point, "I think I might be pregnant."

Carolyn gazed at her for a moment and said gently, "It's ok… I'll run some tests on you."

--------------------

Sam waited in Carolyn's office, this time with Cam in the next chair over holding her hand. He remarked, a little embarrassed, "If I am going to be Uncle Cam again, this has got to be the first of your kids that's the slightest bit normal."

"I already worked that one out…"

Noticing her looking down at her lap, he squeezed her hand and said, trying for reassuring, "It's ok Sam. You're not alone."

She nodded, looking overcome with emotion, and then Carolyn entered the office with a file folder, Cam greeting her cheerfully. The medic sat down behind her desk for the second time that day and opened her file as the two Colonels waited. She looked up at Sam and said with a small smile,

"Congratulations Sam. You're going to be a Mommy… again."

Despite expecting this, Sam hid her face in her hands and began to cry as Cam took her in his arms, holding her close as he attempted to soothe her. He smoothed her shoulder and said,

"You weren't alone the last two times and you sure as hell aren't going to be alone now, ok?"

She sniffed against his shoulder and whispered, "But Daniel doesn't know."

"I'm sure we'll find him somehow and drag his lily ass home. Us two have an understanding not to miss any of your births."

--------------------

The base, already buzzing with the presence of the Charmed Ones, the Doctor and Captain Jack, almost exploded on hearing of Sam's pregnancy, many suspecting the Doctor to be the main culprit. Jack took her to one side after hearing the rumours for most of the day and said,

"Carter, I want you to be honest with me. Who's the Daddy?"

She shook her head and said, annoyed, "Who else?"

Not really getting it, he began to rant about the Doctor and she said, upset, "No! Daniel. It was Daniel. The night the Charmed Ones and Captain Jack appeared. I can't believe you would think that…"

She sighed and turned away from him as he looked confused. He gently touched her arm but she moved it angrily, and he said, forcing her to turn around to face him, "Carter…. Daniel has gone to Oma-land. Not that I've doubted his abilities to somehow knock you up against the odds, but… you know…"

He looked embarrassed and a little awkward as he trailed off and she smiled, embarrassed too as she looked down and said quietly, "He was solid for twelve hours, Sir."

His eyebrows shot up and he asked, "Twelve hours? Why didn't you say… Oh. It was when we were doing the guy thing wasn't it? I gotta hand it to you… and your husband… you really know how to add to your family in style."

Noticing her turn away, upset, he turned her back around and hugged her, smoothing her back as he said, "I'm going to move in to yours… I know Mitchell offered but it's going to make things awkward between him and Vala, no matter what team we all happen to be on…"

She asked, her head resting on his shoulder, "What about Sara, Sir?"

"She'll understand. Anyway, she thinks I'm gay because of, and I paraphrase, my unhealthy attachment to a pain-in-the-butt Archaeologist who has more lives on him than ten cats."

Confused, she asked, "Sir? You didn't tell her…"

"Which part of _paraphrase_ didn't you understand?"


	23. Explanations and Bonding

Watching from the control room as Grace stood in front of the gate ramp in the gateroom below, Sam, her arms folded across her chest, asked, "Why now?"

The Doctor sighed, scratching the back of his neck briefly, and he said with a shrug, "Well, to tell the truth, I don't know… ok, you could explain it through you sneaking out of the briefing room to do the wild thing with an Elder…"

She shot back, an icy look in her eye, "Can it, Doctor."

"You asked."

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

He smiled mischievously and then said, looking through the window, "Your _relatively_ normally conceived child is the Ancients' way to apologise for taking your husband away."

She suddenly looked scared and asked, "Is he never going to come back?"

He gazed at her for a moment and said gently, "I don't know."

"Bullshit."

"Oh come on, Colonel! You know more than anyone else how damaging knowing the future can be! With Cammie and James it was different because an alternate timeline was created."

She looked down at her new daughter who was now walking around the 'gate and everything began to fall into place for her. She exhaled a long breath as the Doctor looked at her, worried, and she said, standing up straighter, trying her best to look resolute,

"I have to be the best that I can be at everything. Daniel said that our children needed human love, something far greater than what he can give in his present state. I have to manage the base, be the head of… well, ok, not the head now that I can't go through the 'gate because of the baby _but_ that doesn't exclude me from my duties just yet."

He placed a hand on her shoulder and said, his eyes grave, "Sam."

She shook her head as she watched her daughter's fingers move over the carvings on the 'gate, and she said gently, her eyes showing so much pain as the Patrolmen up above noted yet again that the weather was oddly turbulent, "They've already lost one parent."

"You're not alone."

"I am no matter what. He's not here."

She turned and fled out of the control room as tears surged in her eyes, and he looked at where she had been for a moment and then walked down the steps to the gateroom. Grace turned on sensing him and ran towards him, asking,

"Where's Mom?"

He grimaced for a moment and said quietly, mindful of the gateroom personnel watching them with all the discreetness of a skyscraper, "It's best that she's alone for now. She's got a lot to cope with. Why don't you see her after a bit? It'll help her. Just... uh, don't touch her abdomen… you _really_ don't want to see the consequences of causing a paradox."

She remarked, rolling her eyes, "I'm not stupid."

He smiled slightly, patting her shoulder and retorted affectionately, "I know you're not. Sometimes you scare me with your intellect.. not forgetting your Ancient powers."

She said quietly, out of earshot from the SFs on patrol, "I wish I could see Dad… I would kick his ass so fast…"

"Now, now, that's no way to talk about your father."

"Whatever excuses these people come up with, it doesn't excuse the fact that he left her to go to Oma-land. James, Cammie, Claire and Jake got to see him, got to spend time with him, even if Claire and Jake can't remember much of it, but I never had that chance."

"It wasn't his fault."

"He could have stopped it. Uncle Jack used to say that Dad was the most stubborn human being that he had ever encountered, Mom notwithstanding."

He remarked, barely managing to conceal his amusement, "And apparently, stubbornness is genetic."

--------------------

Sam furiously filled in her paperwork, determined to get it finished and under control, to get everything in order. Half way through, she broke down, covering her face with her hands as she silently began to cry. She whispered as she moved her hands to look at the picture of Daniel and the quartet on her desk,

"I respect the fact that you were forced but you are a total and utter bastard, putting me, our children and our unborn child through this."

A knock at the door roused her from the stream of expletives she was composing, and she, drying her eyes quickly, called, sitting up and pretending to look busy, "Come in."

She looked up to see Piper's head poke through the door, the woman asking, looking apprehensive, "Bad time?"

Sam shook her head and said wearily, "Come on in, Piper."

Piper sat down opposite her and watched the Colonel for a long moment, and she then said, leaning forward, "Honey, I know what you're going through."

Sam sighed, and Piper continued, "When I lost Leo, it felt as though my world had collapsed. He was just supposed to be an ordinary Whitelighter, but because of everything that had happened, with us, it had allowed him to become so much more. The Whitelighters made him an Elder. I hated it. I didn't know whether I would see him again, and it really hurt Wyatt. Oh and Chris… we won't go into that now..."

Piper exhaled as she watched with concern the woman that she had an unlikely bond with, a sense of a shared destiny, and she finished off, "My point is, he's not going to be there forever. The Elders, the Ancients, Whitelighters… whatever, will eventually change their minds somehow. As time is immaterial on their plain of existence, it seems to us that they're taking ages. Ok, it is a little different with Daniel being the supreme leader of the Elders… but Leo came home again, and so will he."

Sam gazed at the woman for a moment, her face rested in her palms, and she asked, "What was it like… you know, when Leo was gone?"

Piper took a deep breath to steady herself and she said, "It was hell. I realised how I had taken him for granted, how I always counted on him being there if I called him to heal someone or give us a free orb when Paige was out of action."

Tears pricked Sam's eyes as she whispered, her gaze fallen, "I took Daniel for granted too. I always imagined that he'd be there, that we'd grow old together and watch our children grow up."

Tears in Piper's eyes too, the woman reached over the desk and held Sam's hand, squeezing it as she said, touched, "You can still have that."

Smiling through her sadness, Sam remarked, "I always said that I would kick his butt if he ever ascended or died on me again, and now look… I can't even reach him to perform said butt kicking."

Piper smiled, liking the Astrophysicist much more than she already had to begin with, and she remarked fondly, "I can see why Daniel fell for you – you've got fire."

--------------------

Later, after enduring a rather clumsy briefing with SG-19, Sam lay in her quarters, feeling tired yet highly strung at recent events. On hearing a knock at the door, she called, sounding annoyed,

"It's open."

The door opened to reveal the dark, large frame of Teal'c silhouetted against the harsh lighting of the corridor. He said gently, or as gentle as he could manage without compromising his principles,

"I will return later."

She sat up, clutching a pillow to her stomach as she said, patting the edge of her bed, "No, no, Teal'c. Don't go."

The Jaffa closed the door behind him and switched on the bedside lamp before sitting down. He looked at her and said,

"Samantha, I will gladly stay with you during this most difficult time. Ish'ta is off-world and it is unlikely that word will reach her."

She smiled gratefully and reached out to gently touch his bicep as she said, "Teal'c, I can't ask that of you."

"On the contrary."

"You're getting places with Ish'ta. Trust me, you don't want to go risking it. Thank you so much, but I'm afraid that I'll have to decline. The General's doing it anyway."

"Will SaraPhelps not be greatly concerned at this development?"

She remarked, "Apparently Sara thinks that the General's gay anyway."

Much to her amusement and admittedly surprise, he smiled slightly and replied, "If it were not for the deep bonds on SG-1, I would think so too."

She chuckled, and he said, "You are not alone, Samantha. Your friends will take care of you."

He wrapped his arms around her and she leaned into his embrace, replying, her voice heavy with tears as she remembered similar promises from Jack, Cam and Vala earlier as well as Elizabeth, Sheppard and a very bemused Cassie, "Thank you. That means a lot to me."

--------------------

After Teal'c had gone, Sam was in a more pensive mood. She clutched her St Christopher and scarab as she curled up in the middle of the bed, thinking about how she was going to get through her pregnancy, and quite possibly the rest of her life without Daniel. She closed her eyes just as there was another knock at the door. She called, sounding subdued,

"It's not like I'm naked. I mean, for crying out loud, I'm sulking in my quarters… honestly…"

The door opened and Sam sat up in surprise on seeing Grace standing there, looking nervous. Sam smiled shakily and said, patting the edge of the bed, "Come on, sit down. God, I feel like Oprah with half the SGC coming to say things to me on my bed."

Grace smiled slightly as she shut the door and sat down, looking at her hands. Sam, hesitantly at first, reached out to caress the side of the younger woman's face, gently playing with her light coloured hair. Sam asked,

"What's it like, travelling with the Doctor? He seems great."

Grace nodded and replied quietly, still not looking at her mother, "He is. He's a lot like Uncle Jack said Dad was l…"

She looked at Sam fearfully, knowing that she had said far too much and Sam, looking intensely sad but trying to cover it up, said, holding her hand, "I've known the odds for a while, but I sensed it from you. Daniel stays up with the Ancients, but it's different now."

Grace sighed and said, annoyed, "Mom, you always defended him."

"I'm guessing you never really got to know him. You wouldn't hold it against him if you did. If it had been his choice, he wouldn't have gone. He knows what the Ancients did to him before."

Sam paused and asked, "Are you going to still travel with the Doctor after this?"

Grace nodded and replied, "It's different from Cameron and James. I'm just stopping in. I…"

She grimaced and continued, "I'm just not supposed to touch your non-existent bump just in case… you know."

"Of course I know. Theoretical Astrophysicist here. Theoretically, there would be a paradox because of the same matter inhabiting the same space."

Grace exhaled and asked, her cerulean eyes reflecting the dim light, "Do you regret being pregnant?"

Shocked, Sam shook her head and said, tears in her eyes for the umpteenth time that day, "No, no, of course not. You just have…"

Sam rolled her head back for a moment and then continued with a little smile, "… way of unexpectedly coming to existence like your brothers and sisters."

She affectionately ruffled Grace's hair, remarking, "Typical Carter-Jackson. Actually, no, typical Jackson… your Dad mooned Uncle Jack's office."

Grace looked down at her hands, embarrassed as she said quietly, "Uncle Jack keeps bringing that up, and he swore that he'd use it as a bargaining tool to get him home."

Sam gently pulled her daughter into her arms, kissing the top of her head gently and she whispered, "We're going to be ok, sweetheart. We'll get the bastard home."

"Uh, Mom…?"

"Despite defending him, I'm still angry… he has a habit of going missing every now and then. Uncle Teal'c's keeping count."


	24. Attack

Sam lay in bed later that night, back home, exhausted after dealing with work, and then four children all mixed up with a tonne of emotional issues, Jack in one of the spare rooms, the General having helped out too along with Cassie. The Colonel clung onto Daniel's favourite sweater, still smelling his familiar scent on it, and she began to cry again.

Suddenly, she felt an overpowering sense of danger and fear. Throwing the covers off, she leapt out of bed before remembering that she could travel via other means. The children her first priority, she focussed and orbed into the younger twins' room, just in time to see a hooded figure bent over the cribs of the younger Carter-Jacksons. Feeling arms around her waist, restraining her, she ducked, swung around, kicking the culprit painfully in the solar plexus.

Not bothering to check on the condition of the person she had just felled, her attention drawn to her children, Sam, very angry as the figure attempted to extract Ancient knowledge from the babies' heads while they slept, threw her hands outwards, throwing the figure clear of the crib, and hard against a wall.

Sensing the other behind her, she swung around to kick him again, punching him in the face. As she did so, the hooded figure got up and silently went about their task again. Suddenly, a huge mass of bluish-white light surrounded Sam and the cribs, fading to reveal the Charmed Ones, the Doctor, Grace and Captain Jack.

Captain Jack wrestled Sam's attacker to the ground as Phoebe high-kicked the hooded figure to the ground. The Doctor grabbed the back of the figure's head, poking his Sonic Screwdriver in its face. Surprised, he said as Jack and Cassie ran into the room,

"It's a Goa'uld."

Sam, worried, asked, "Why didn't I sense the symbiote?"

"He's using a compound to shroud Junior here."

As Jack helped Captain Jack subdue the second assailant, the Doctor pulled back the figure's hood and all were shocked to see Nerus sneering at them. Sam exclaimed,

"What the…"

Jack looked up from restraining the second assailant and remarked, "Hey, Area 51 means Area 51! Jesus Christ, why can't you ass-holes stay in one place?!"

He glanced down at what they had now established was Her'ak, the ex-First Prime of the ex-System Lord, Anubis, and continued, "… and that goes for you too, hell-boy."

The Doctor attempted to remove the device from Nerus' hand but when he struggled, the Goa'uld not wanting to let it go, Paige asked, "What's the name of that… thing?"

The Doctor said casually as he continued to struggle, Grace landing her first punch on the Goa'uld, "Oh, it's just a power extractor."

"Thanks. Power extractor!"

The device orbed straight into Paige's raised hand as Sam quickly made sure the twins were ok. She found them still asleep and she smiled briefly, remembering their father and she quickly checked on Cammie and James. Finding them asleep too, she came back right as Her'ak broke free from his captors, saying,

"You will not…"

He was cut off by Sam punching him straight in the face, sweeping his feet from under him, and she remarked as Jack silently made sure that she was alright, "Don't tell me what I can't do in my own house."

Nerus remarked sneeringly, "This one has spirit. I like it."

She turned around, very angry, and said, punching him in the face repeatedly, "You come anywhere near my family again, and I will kill you."

The Doctor grabbed her arms, saying as he restrained her, Grace tackling Nerus to the ground, a zat at the back of his head, "Calm down, Colonel."

Nerus took the opportunity to turn around, at a surprising speed considering his rotund frame, holding Grace around the neck as he grabbed the zat from her. Holding the zat to her head, he said, tightening his hold as she tried hard not to look scared. Paige opened her mouth but the Goa'uld zatted her and then said to the rest as her sisters knelt to check on her,

"Surrender the Duality otherwise this one will perish."

The Doctor stepped forward, his Sonic Screwdriver at the ready as he said, a grave expression on his face, his voice low, "Put the zat down, Nerus."

"Certainly not."

Sam, scared for her daughter's welfare as well as that of her babies, stepped forward but she noticed Grace shake her head imperceptibly, making eye contact for a moment. Sam closed her eyes, upset and said silently,

'_Grace, I know you won't do anything – you're a pacifist just like your Dad._'

'_Just get Jake and Claire out of here. Leave me._'

'_Dammit, no. What the hell is it with you Jacksons?! No._'

'_Mom, don't. Whatever you're going to do, don't._'

Sam stepped forward as Jack quietly swore, holding a scared Cassie, after a vain attempt to stop the Colonel, Captain Jack saying quietly as he looked up from restraining Her'ak, "Colonel, don't do it."

Ignoring her friends' protests, she said, tears in her eyes, rain falling heavily outside, "Take me."

Jack blinked slowly and then remarked, "Dammit Carter, you're just as bad as Daniel."

Nerus said, unabashedly checking her out, "Hmm, you would make an excellent Queen…"

Sam grimaced, tears in her eyes as he continued, "… and our offspring would be more powerful than all of the gods combined."

The Doctor held back an irate Jack who was about to punch Nerus' lights out, and Grace said, struggling against Nerus' hold, "I'm sure the Colonel isn't in the market for sick, avaricious bastards with a major arrogance streak."

Nerus tightened his hold on the young woman, saying, "Quiet you."

Sam said, looking increasingly fierce but her voice heavy with tears, "I'll only go with you if you leave my children alone, and leave this place forever. Let Grace go. Now."

"Dammit, Carter. No!"

As Captain Jack held a struggling Her'ak tighter, the Doctor glancing at Sam to try to tell her silently that there were other options, Nerus feigned deep thought as he remarked, keeping a hold of Grace,

"Hmm, on one hand, I could have the greatest source of Ancient power in the Universe at my disposal, or I could have a powerful Queen…"

About to discharge a zat bolt straight at Grace's head as the Doctor, the Charmed Ones, Sam and Captain Jack shouted in protest, he continued with a smirk, "I will have to forgo the many nights of pleasure but with this power at my disposal, I can get ten women like you."

As Phoebe tended to a rousing Paige, Piper was about to freeze the scene when Sam, very, very angry at the situation and, ignoring her friends, raised her hands, coldness in her eyes as she raised both hands. She closed her eyes as her surroundings appeared to slow down, powerful bursts of white light radiating from her palms, reflecting off the faces of everyone as they watched, shocked. The light engulfed Nerus, and Her'ak behind her, their corporeal forms exploding into orbs of white and yellow flame.

Without thinking, she rushed forward, sweeping her daughter off her feet as she held her tightly, whispering as she wept, "I nearly lost you."

She backed away from her, checking her over, and Grace said silently, realising what her mother had done, '_Thanks Mom. I guess I owe you a big one that you can remind me of during my teens._'

Sam smiled slightly and then the Doctor came forward, hugging the young woman with an equal ferocity, remarking, "I nearly went as grey as that cynic over there. Don't scare me like that again."

He then turned to Sam, returning her smile as he said quietly, "Thank you, Colonel."

The others milled around her, offering her comfort, Jack remarking, "I swear, you and your husband…"

Phoebe said, glancing at Piper, "You might not want to keep doing that though, in your condition."

Piper rolled her eyes, patted her sister on the arm and remarked, "Hush, hush, don't spoil the moment, Phoebe."

The babies then took that moment to wake up, their siblings in the next room too, and Sam remarked with a little smile, looking at Jack as Cassie hugged her, "Those four could sleep through a riot."

--------------------

After a long briefing back at the mountain, and a furious Jack ordering an inquiry into how Nerus had managed to escape his incarceration at Area 51 unnoticed, Sam finally made it home again. Jack asked after she had changed back into her pyjamas,

"Carter, you ok?"

Sam nodded, looking down at her lap as she replied, "I'm fine, Sir. Just tired."

"Ok, get some z's. If the kids wake up again, I'll get up."

She looked up and said, shaking her head, "No Sir, I…"

"No, don't say it. What am I here for? You need to put your feet up, even more so now after doing a pissy Whitelighter. Get some rest… if not for you, then for the baby at least."

She nodded, her gaze dropping to her lap again and he prised himself off the doorframe and sat down next to her on the end of the bed. She said, sounding scared,

"What if someone else comes to take the babies and I can't protect them?"

She met his gaze and continued, "What then?"

He huffed and replied, holding her hand, "Carter, you've got everyone looking out for you. That was only a fluke. You're going to be fine."

He wrapped his arms around her as she began to cry, and he rubbed her back slowly, saying, "You have been through a lot worse on SG-1. You can do this."

Feeling utterly broken, she whispered, "I just want him back."

"I know how you feel."


	25. Briefing the Archaeologist

_Lyrics featured are Home by Westlife (originally Michael Bublé)._

_--------------------_

In surroundings of cool black, the older Cammie from the alternate timeline, stood, illuminated by a light source unseen, waiting in robes of light brown. A few moments later, a mass of white light came spiralling towards her, slowly changing into Daniel, who said,

"What is it, Cameron? I've been in the Minara System… the Others sure like to keep me busy."

Cammie sighed and said quietly, "It's Mom. Dad… uh, my Dad is angry at what the Others have done but they won't let him help out."

Suddenly scared and fearful, he asked cautiously, "What's happened?"

After a pause, Cammie replied, anger flickering in her eyes, "They're deliberately distracting you."

"What?!"

Jacob appeared to her right, looking at her for a moment and then remarked to Daniel, looking serious, "Your version of what is right and theirs are in two kettles of fish that are so far apart that it's beyond one of Jack's jokes."

Impatient now, Daniel asked, throwing his hands up in exasperation, "What?! And why have you called me to this quiet place?"

James appeared to Cammie's left and said, looking increasingly angry, "You're the only one that can help Mom but the Others are being selfish. They want to learn more from you…"

"For crying out loud, Junior, what is it?! What's wrong with Sam!?"

The older Daniel from the alternate timeline appeared, Cammie moving out of the way so that he could approach his younger self, and he said, sadness whirling in his clear eyes, "You need to find some way to go home and help her. You're going to be a father again."

Daniel remarked in a chilly voice, "That's a bad joke, even for you. How could Sam possibly be pregnant?"

James remarked with a brief smirk, "You were solid for twelve hours the last time you paid a visit, so you most likely booty-called Mom."

As Jacob hid a smile, the two Daniels said in warning, simultaneously, "Junior…"

They exchanged a look and then Daniel said wearily, "Ok, _supposing_ you're right…"

Older-Daniel huffed and remarked, "Junior has a point, as crude and as Jack-like as it was. You did it again."

Daniel, now scared again, asked, "But how do I go back? I have tried so many times, so many times to descend but I either get stopped or it doesn't work."

"_Another sunny day,  
Has come and gone away,  
In Paris and Rome,  
I want to go home,  
Mmmmmm_..."

"We've all tried too, but _you_ can do it. You just have to have the right focus."

"Yes. Sam."

Older-Daniel sighed and Cammie said gently, "Just think about it for a little while. You'll get it."

James glanced behind him, sensing something and he said, turning back to his family, "Everyone, move it. We're being watched."

Cammie hugged Daniel, whispering, "Good luck," as Jacob patted him on the shoulder, older-Daniel looking wistful as James placed a hand on his shoulder. The two Daniels then hugged tightly, and the older man said,

"You've got to save the woman we love… again."

"_Maybe surrounded by,  
A million people I,  
Still feel all alone,  
I just want to go home,  
Oh I miss you, You know..._"

--------------------

As the Others conversed amongst themselves in a rotating ring of rippling white and yellow light, a mass of white light stormed right into the centre, taking Daniel's form. The Archaeologist, very, very angry, said accusingly,

"You knew! You knew that Sam was struggling and you deliberately sent me far away so I couldn't help her!"

Lilith's voice replied from the ring, the sound echoing softly, "Samantha has to prove her worth to guard the Duality."

"No, you're just sick! Sam is the strongest, worthiest person that I know! What, do you have an Alteran version of YouTube here?"

"_And I've been keeping all the letters,  
That I wrote to you,  
Each one a line or two,  
I'm fine baby how are you,  
Well I would send them but,  
I know it's that it's just not enough,  
The words were cold and flat,  
And you deserve more, than that_..."

Oma appeared before him and said gently, "Daniel, the Others do not wish to harm Samantha. The opportunity to conceive another child was intended as a gift for everything that you and Samantha have done for us."

"How is putting my wife through so much pain and anguish by herself a gift?!"

"_Another aeroplane,  
Another sunny place,  
I'm lucky, I know,  
But I want to go home,  
I've got to go home_..."

He sighed as he turned around and said, surrounding tired, "I never wanted this."

Lilith replied, "How could you resist so much power and responsibility? Here, you are changing so many lives, improving…"

"_Let me go home  
I'm just too far,  
From where you are,  
I've got to come home,  
Let me come home,  
I've had my run,  
Baby I'm down,  
I want to come home..._"

He said softly, so much sadness and pain in his eyes, "No. You don't get it do you? This… phenomenal cosmic power means nothing to me, not when I've been taken away from my wife, my children, my friends. Sam needs me."

"You would sacrifice all this for one woman?"

He nodded and said with all conviction, "I would… within a second. I would die for her. She believed in me despite having no reason to do so. She believed that I could be more than I could possibly be. If it wasn't for her love, her faith, I wouldn't be here at all, and you know that... but my place is by her side, holding her hand and being there for her even if she deserves way better than me."

"_And I feel just like,  
I'm living,  
Someone else's life,  
It's like I just stepped outside,  
When everything was going right,  
And I know just why you could not come along with me,  
'Cause this was not your dream,  
But you always believed in me_..."

Oma smiled slightly, looking worried as the rippling and rotations grew in fervour around them. Suddenly Lilith appeared, her complexion now fair, and she said, stepping forward,

"You have taught us much during your time here, Daniel Jackson. So much about love, compassion… but…"

She paused, her complexion now golden as her hair darkened, and she said, smiling briefly, "… this has been the most valuable. Self-sacrifice and love that surpasses everything."

"_Another winter day,  
Has come and gone away,  
In either Paris or Rome,  
And I want to go home,  
I miss you, you know_..."

Daniel, confused, said slowly, "Ok… so you've learnt something new… Now what?"

Lilith replied, smiling mysteriously, "Now… now you have to choose."

He waved his hand over the floor, the mist parting around an image of a heavily pregnant Sam smoothing her abdomen in amongst a large Christmas party and looking as though she was smiling for everyone else's sake.

"_Let me go home,  
I've had my run,  
Baby I'm down,  
I want to go home,  
Let me go home,  
It'll all be alright,  
I'll be home tonight,  
I'm coming back home_..."

He whispered softly as white tears ran down his cheeks, "Samantha. I choose Samantha... every time." 


	26. The Best Christmas Present, Ever

After Jonas had come back from Atlantis, Elizabeth and Sheppard going back to the City with their daughter, Sam, her eight month old bump very noticeable, sat next to the Christmas tree in the Carter-Jackson lounge, next to the Doctor as they, the Jacks and SG-1 decorated it. Captain Jack, Cassie, Vala, Carolyn and the Charmed Ones baked in the kitchen, laughing and shrieking as clouds of flour spread throughout the kitchen, the Carter-Jackson children and Francis taking it upon themselves to decorate the coffee table.

Grace sat on the couch in deep thought, watching her mother and thinking over the last few months, how many times they had all come close to losing the Colonel. She sighed, hoping that her Ascended siblings got her message, realising that something must have stopped her father from coming home.

Sam, laughing at a joke that mini-Jack had told, turned on sensing Grace's state of deep thought, and said with a smile, "Come on, Grace. The guys are too busy being rude… show them how a tree should be decorated."

Grace smiled and said as she got up, "Sure… Colonel."

Mini-Jack remarked as the rest of the team smirked, "Carter, I've only just begun."

Sam retorted as Grace kneeled to peer into the box of decorations, "I was afraid of that, Jack."

Captain Jack emerged from the kitchen, covered all most head to toe with flour, and the Doctor remarked in amusement, laughing, "Oh, mon Capitaine! Someone's been enjoying themselves!"

The Captain, wiping his hands on a dishcloth, replied, rolling his eyes, "Sure… you look domestic."

"Now, now, no need to descend into insults."

The Captain looked at Sam and asked, "Colonel, how're you holding up? I notice it's snowing outside."

Sam nodded with a soft sigh, glancing at the Doctor who squeezed her hand, and she said, looking up at the Captain with a smile, "I'm fine, Captain. Thanks. Did any of that flour make it into the cookies?"

"Amazingly, yes. Vala got a little over-exuberant."

Cam shot him a little glare as Vala emerged from the kitchen, slipping an arm around the Captain's neck as she laughed, remarking, "You were throwing as much as I was."

Seeing Cam, she waved and said with a grin, "Cameron, you don't look as though you've got very far."

Sam replied, looking up at her team-mate, "They haven't… Jack was telling dirty jokes and they all joined in for the cultural experience… including Teal'c."

As Teal'c smirked, Vala remarked, surprised, "Even Teal'c?"

"Oh yes."

The alien quickly kneeled down next to Sam and asked seriously, "How are you feeling?"

Sam squeezed Vala's hand, replying, "I'm alright, thanks, although it's going to take all of SG-3 to get me up again."

The Doctor remarked, feigning innocence as he handed Grace a bauble, "Or the TARDIS."

The Jacks exchanged a little look and then smiled and Vala smoothed Sam's bump, saying softly, "Hello, baby."

She then smiled at Sam, patting her cheek and then got up, flouncing into the kitchen as an amused Captain Jack followed, smirking at Cam. Jonas said with a shrug,

"I'm starting to like that guy… a bit."

Everyone smiled, the Doctor remarking, "He takes a while to get used to and seeing as you've only been back a couple of weeks, that says a lot about you."

Sam said with a little shrug as she shot the Jacks a meaningful look, "He's surprisingly tolerant."

The Jacks feigned hurt looks, and Jack opened his mouth to reply when he closed it up again right as a huge flash of white light shot down through the ceiling. Scared, Sam, using her powers, moved the children to safety as her friends mobilised themselves, Grace and the Doctor helping her up. The Charmed Ones emerged from the kitchen with Captain Jack and Vala, Carolyn moving the children further.

With SG-1, Grace and the Jacks surrounding the area where the white light had reached before it had faded, the team surrounded by the others as Sam was held back by the Doctor. To the Colonel's confusion, Grace, the Charmed Ones, Cassie, Carolyn and Vala shielded their eyes, turning away out of what appeared to be embarrassment, and she frowned, wishing she could go closer.

The rest of SG-1 exchanged little looks, Jack looking at Teal'c and asking, "You see this too, right?"

"Indeed."

Jack looked at his stunned clone, at Jonas and Cam, and he then said with all nonchalance, "Oh Carter? You know you wanted a really cool Christmas present?"

Sam asked as she stepped forward, the Doctor supporting her, "What is it?"

As a now smirking Cam grabbed a blanket from the couch, Jack shrugged, and when the Colonel had eventually reached the spot that they had surrounded, she gasped, sinking to her knees in shock as Daniel, his midriff covered by a blanket, sat up, his hair all brown again as he looked at her, stunned.

Covering her mouth with her hand, she began to cry as Jack silently ushered everyone else but the Doctor away and then she slapped the Archaeologist across the face. Before he could recover, she pulled him tight against her and said against his shoulder as he began to cry too, his fingers smoothing her back,

"You bastard, don't you ever do that to me again."

"I never wanted to leave you, I swear."

The Doctor, smiling slightly, stood up to be with Grace and, Sam, realising just how naked Daniel was, touched his shoulder and closed her eyes. She opened her eyes to find them both upstairs in their room, and he gaped in surprise, asking,

"You can orb?"

"After I descended. Come on, get dressed. I'd get up but you'll be waiting forever."

She sat on the end of the bed as she watched him get dressed, scarcely able to believe that he was home again. She looked down at her bump, smoothing it gently as she whispered silently to their unborn child,

"Daddy's come home."

She looked up to see him, now dressed, looking at her. She inclined her head, smiling inquisitively and his gaze softened, replying with regret, "I've missed so much."

He sat down next to her, smoothing her bump with his hand as he asked, "How have you been?"

She replied as he played with her hair, "I've been through hell these past ten months, Daniel. I've missed you."

He caressed her jaw, replying as a tear ran down his cheek, "I've missed you too. Grace managed to send a message to Cammie and James... the other ones. The Others didn't want me finding out about... this."

Surprised, she asked, "How are they?"

"They're fine. Junior's as Jack-like as ever."

She asked after a pause, "You know about Grace?"

He nodded and said with a little smile, "It's happened again. We've got another Marty McFly... and this time, she really is going back to the future."

He held her hand and then kneeled on the floor in front of her, holding both of her hands and said, "Sam, I'm going to ask you to forgive me. It was inexcusable. I should have been here for you. I missed out when you were carrying Claire and Jake, and I've missed out again. I'll understand if you never forgive me..."

He looked down at their hands and continued, "I should have tried harder to stop them from ascending me in the first place."

He looked up at her, noticing tears running down her cheeks and he tenderly dried them. She sighed and said, her voice laced with emotion,

"As much as it hurts to have lost you like that, I know it wasn't your fault. It's going to take some time for the wounds to heal so I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that you're forgiven. I know it wasn't your fault but I am in so much pain right now that my perceptions are clouded."

He remarked with a shaky smile, still kneeling, "I'm just glad you haven't shot me."

She gazed down at him, running her fingers through his soft hair and he sat back next to her, holding her in his arms as she clung onto him, whispering, "I've missed you."

As she began to cry again, he whispered, kissing her temple and crying too, "I've missed you too."

--------------------

When Sam orbed them back downstairs again, she sat down, resting her back on a cushion as their friends milled around the Archaeologist, Jack pulling him into a fierce hug and remarking, close to tears, "Don't you ever do that again. If you hadn't knocked up Carter, she would have gone back and dragged you home."

In amongst the hugs, Daniel looked around for his children, and spotted the four with Francis, looking stunned and dumbfounded at the proceedings. Walking through his friends, he knelt before them, smoothing their heads as the elder two looked shy, the younger two clambering onto him as a now shy Francis ran into Vala's open arms. Cammie looked apprehensive, much to Daniel's sadness, and James frowned, running to his mother, and asking,

"Mommy? Is that really Daddy now?"

Sam, sniffing back tears, replied as she smoothed his fair hair, "Yes, sweetie. Daddy's come home again."

James grinned and ran back, shouting as he launched himself at his father, nearly throwing the Archaeologist off balance, "Daddy!"

Daniel closed his eyes as he hugged James, kissing his cheek, and Cammie asked, now scared, "Daddy?"

Daniel smiled at her and she buried her face in his shoulder, saying, "Don't do that again."

He replied, kissing her forehead and smoothing the younger twins' cheeks as he glanced back at his wife, "I'll try not to."

He stood up, Claire in his arms as the others clung onto his legs, and he turned, looking for Grace. On seeing her, he smiled, putting Jake down and he said as the Doctor's Companion smiled shyly,

"Grace."

As the rest of SG-1 looked on in bewilderment, he hugged her and said gently, "Thank you."

Jack remarked as his friends looked confused, all but Sam, "Did we miss a briefing? What's going on?"

Daniel looked at Sam and said, bemused, "You didn't tell them did you?"

Sam made a defeated gesture, remarking, "How was I supposed to?"

His arm around Grace, he turned to his friends and said right before jaws began to drop all round, "This, guys, is Grace Carter-Jackson."

After a moment, Jack remarked, blinking slowly, "Daniel, you dog."

Grace replied, "It's true, Uncle Jack."

"You've been here all this time... how come we didn't pick that up?! Teal'c?!"

Teal'c replied, "I indeed suspected it..."

"Sure you did."

"... but perceived it to beneficial to the future if I said nothing."

The Jacks looked at him bemused, and Cam asked, "You staying for the birth then?"

The Doctor replied, "Ah, that wouldn't be a good idea. It's a little different to when Cammie and James came back from the future. Grace is going back."

Just then, the doorbell rang and Cam opened the door, Jennifer saying with a smile as Lorne stood next to her, a baby girl in his arms, "Hi! I hope we're not too late..."

With a smirk, Cam replied as he let them in, taking Jennifer's coat, "Oh, not at all... the party's only just getting started."

He led them into the lounge and the new arrivals froze in shock on seeing Daniel, Jennifer gasping as she looked ready to faint, and Piper remarked much to the Jacks' amusement, "Yah, merry Christmas to you too."


	27. Christmas: Partings and Such

Christmas Day, as Sam was put under couch arrest by Daniel, her feet propped up and a blanket draped over her considerably large frame, Jonas sat next to her, his arm draped loosely over the back of the couch as Carolyn sat on the other side of him, resting her head on his shoulder. Cassie sat at Sam's feet, keeping the Astrophysicist company as the Archaeologist rushed around, mingling with the many guests from SG-1 and the SGC, both sets of twins noisily playing with Francis, and Helen Keller-Lorne.

Grace stood with the Doctor, noting how young everyone that she knew looked, and she said with a wistful expression, watching the scene, "Everything's different now."

The Doctor, watching Sam, replied quietly, "It definitely is. Sam looks happy."

Grace smiled suddenly and remarked, feigning innocence, "Looks like I won't get to have you as my step-father."

He looked at her in disbelief and then sighed, saying as his eyes moved back to Sam laughing at a joke, "Her heart always belonged to him."

He continued, masking his sadness with cheerfulness as he clapped his hands, "Come on, let's get some cakes with silver balls! I love you humans…"

She smiled slightly and linked arms with him as they walked into the kitchen, the Charmed Ones coming the other way. Sam looked up on seeing the Charmed Ones and asked as Jonas got up, Carolyn soon afterwards, the Quinns joining the Jacks for a game of Poker,

"Hey, you guys ok?"

The three women exchanged little looks and then Piper kneeled in front of Sam, holding her hand as she said, gently squeezing it, "Honey, we've got to go… Our men would blow the house sky high and my boys are probably running riot."

Sam smiled briefly and then said, squeezing Piper's hand in return as she looked at each of the sisters, "I knew this was coming. I wish you could have brought everyone."

Paige replied as Piper smiled a little, patting Sam's hand, "Us too but, well, you know how it was. We were following the Sycorax and one thing led to another..."

Phoebe sat on the arm of the couch, playing with Sam's hair as she said, "You don't need us now. You have the Guardian back."

Sam replied, smiling sadly, "It was nice having you around though. Thank you."

The sisters each hugged her in turn and the Astrophysicist asked, "Will you ever drop in again?"

Paige looked across at Phoebe, who looked at Piper, who replied, "You'll see us again, and maybe next time, Leo will come for the ride. He and Daniel have so much in common what with being Whitelighters now… and former Elders."

Paige said, apologetically, "We've got to get going."

After one more round of hugs, Piper whispered, leaning forward from her kneeling position, "We'll be discreet about it… if looks could kill, Vala and Carolyn would have killed us thousands of times over every time we were anywhere near Cam and Jonas."

Sam, smiling slightly, froze their surroundings and Daniel, not being affected by the action like the youngest Carter-Jackson twins, Captain Jack, the Doctor and Grace, called from the kitchen, "Saaam! What are you doing!?"

The Charmed Ones smiled gratefully, Paige remarking, "I guess this is better than jumping into a closet…"

Captain Jack retorted as he emerged from the kitchen with Daniel, the Doctor and Grace, "Jumping into a closet is so underrated."

Sam looked down for a moment, a touch embarrassed and the Charmed Ones held hands. Everyone said their farewells to them and then in a slow burst of bluish white light, the three women disappeared. Captain Jack and the Doctor looked at each other for a moment, and then the Time Lord remarked as he looked at Grace,

"Well, there's no time like the present."

Sam said, upset as she tried to get up, "You could stay longer."

The Doctor gently stopped her from rising and he sat down next to her, holding her hands as he said, gazing at her softly, "You of all people know that we can't stay for much longer. You'll see me again one day… and as for Grace…"

With a smile, he patted Sam's bump with one hand and continued, reaching up to dry her tears, "… she is going to be a wonderful child."

Sam hugged him, her arm around his neck as she said against his shoulder as a troubled Daniel turned away, the Archaeologist feeling jealous, and then guilty at his jealousy, "I wish you could stay."

The Doctor gently smoothed her shoulder, replying with a wistful smile, "Me too."

He pulled back and caressed her cheek as her tears kept on coming, and he continued, his cheerfulness sounding a little strained, "Samantha Carter-Jackson, have a wonderful, happy life."

Sam, drying her eyes as the Doctor stood, inwardly composing himself, remarked as Grace knelt in front of her, "I'd hug you but… well, you know… you'd end up causing a paradox."

Grace smiled and replied, holding her mother's hand, "_That_ would be a bad thing."

Sam gazed at her daughter, touching her face and hair, and then she said, "Take care of yourself. I'm proud of you, so very proud."

Grace, tears in her eyes, kissed Sam on the cheek, careful to avoid the bump, and she replied, "Thanks Mom… that means more than you'll know."

Sam, sniffing back her tears, said, glancing up at her husband as he, the Doctor and Captain Jack said their farewells to each other, "I guess Daddy's going to have to give you an extra hug for me."

Grace stood up and Daniel said, his eyes eddying with emotion, "I owe you everything. Thank you."

He hugged her tightly, continuing as he closed his eyes, "I'm proud of you too, that one of our little girls is going to grow up and be you."

Grace, tears running down her cheeks as she rested her head on her father's shoulder, said quietly, "It's nice to meet you, Dad… I've heard so much about you and I've always wanted to see you."

They parted and Daniel gently dried her cheeks and then said, "Be careful out there, ok?"

She remarked with a shy smile, "I'm a Jackson, Dad… I never stay away for long."

He hugged her again as Captain Jack sat down next to Sam, hugging her as tight as he could, considering the circumstances. She said with a little smile,

"I'm going to miss you too."

He remarked with a pout, "I should hope so, Colonel. I may not have an English accent or a trench coat, but I can get the ladies too."

She kissed him on the cheek and he said, gazing at her softly, "I know you're going to be upset when we go but I want you to smile, ok? It's Christmas and you've got one hell of a daughter simmering in that cauldron of yours."

The TARDIS appeared as a result of the Doctor summoning it with his Sonic Screwdriver and he said with a clap of his hands, "Ok people, last call for anywhere in time and space departing from gate 42!"

During one more round of goodbyes, the Doctor and Daniel looked at each for a long moment, and the Time Lord patted the Archaeologist's shoulder solemnly, saying quietly, "Take care of her… her heart's all yours and always will be."

Daniel frowned slightly in puzzlement as the Doctor walked straight into the TARDIS, Captain Jack remarking, "I hope you're taking me back to Cardiff… I'm not looking forward to another visit to that cannibal planet…"

Grace followed as the Doctor retorted from inside, "Honestly! One wrong turn and you're branded for life… come on, we'll drop you off first."

The doors shut and the Jacksons watched the TARDIS disappear, fading noisily out of view. Daniel sat down next to Sam, his arm tentatively along the back of where she sat as Claire and Jake clambered into their laps, and they sat together in a moment of reflection. Suddenly, they exchanged a glance, noticing that their surroundings were still frozen. He smiled slightly and she was about to wave her hand when he put her hand on her arm, stopping her. She frowned slightly and he waved his hand instead, their surroundings moving once again.

She looked at him in surprise and he said quietly with a shrug, "There's about twelve hours displacement after the conversion process from energy to solid matter… we might want to work on the link though."

She nodded and held his hand, leaning her head on his shoulder as Jack walked past, saying, looking puzzled, "Either of you seen any of the Charmed Ones, or the TARDIS gang anywhere?"

Sam replied quietly, "They've gone."

"Gone?!"

Daniel replied, squeezing Sam's hand, "They wanted to go out quietly… the girls had to go home for Christmas, and the Doctor decided to go."

"Oh. Wouldn't we have heard the TARDIS at least?"

Sam and Daniel exchanged a glance and then feigned ignorance, and then Jack shrugged and walked away to spread the word. James and Cammie then clambered onto their parents, Daniel gently manoeuvring them so that they wouldn't hurt their mother. He kissed her temple and said quietly, gazing at her with concern,

"We'll be ok."

She leaned her head on his shoulder again, watching Cassie and Teal'c prank Lorne, and replied softly, "I hope so."

--------------------

Later that night, Jack insisting on staying the night, both sets of twins exhausted after running around the house with their 'cousins' and now sound asleep, Daniel slipped into his and Sam's room, to find his wife sat up, her back cushioned. He sat on the edge of the bed nearest her, smoothing her hair,

"Are you going to be alright?"

She caught his hand, holding to her chest as she said, her eyes pleading, "Daniel, stay here tonight… please?"

He said, looking tired as his gaze fell, "I can't. I…"

She cut him off with a kiss, replying as he met her gaze, surprised, "Daniel, I never stopped loving you."

"I should have come home earlier. They sent me all over the place because they didn't want me to help you… they knew that I'd drop everything the moment you were in trouble."

A stray tear running down her cheek, she replied, her voice breaking, "But it wasn't your fault."

He met her gaze, looking sad and said quietly but firmly, regret in his eyes, "You're still angry at me."

She exclaimed, annoyed, "Dammit Jackson, I'm angry because I haven't seen you for nearly a year and I didn't know whether you were alright or… or even alive!"

She began to cry, continuing quietly as she looked down at her swollen abdomen, "If anyone failed anyone, it was me who failed you. I had to renege on my promise. I should have been able to get you back but I got descended and couldn't go back."

She met his gaze and added as he looked shocked, "I have had to live with that guilt for all of this time. You've never had to be in command of team where each member's life and welfare is your responsibility. Not only did I lose my husband, my best friend and the father of my children, but I lost one of my team. I failed as a commanding officer. I also failed our children because I couldn't save their father. Who knows how damaged they could be?!"

Taken aback by her admission, he shook his head and she said with a sigh, "It's true, Daniel, no matter what you say. You couldn't control what the Ancients did to you. I'm angry at everything, which isn't too much of a surprise considering how many hormones I have rushing through my body right about now."

As he sat there, processing what she had said, she took his hand again and said, smiling shakily, "So will you stay tonight? I don't want the General infringing on my nocturnal viewing rights on you again. I miss you."

He smiled, a little embarrassed and then he gazed at her for a moment. He closed his eyes and then said with a sigh,

"Ok."

She watched him climb into bed beside her, still wearing his pyjama bottoms, much to her sadness. After a moment, she lay down too and she remarked as he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her, his hand smoothing her bump,

"I've seen your legs before, Daniel… even before we got together."

His hand paused and she ran her fingers over his hips, and then played with the cord. Letting her take the initiative, feeling too guilty to do the same, he gazed at her as she, sensing what was going through his head, took his pyjama bottoms off, noting that several scars that had been on his legs before had now disappeared.

Their legs entwined, she lifted his t-shirt, lowering the waistband of his boxers to look at his abdomen. She raised her eyebrows briefly in surprise on seeing his Caesarean and Appendectomy scars were still present. His gaze followed hers and he said softly as she traced the scars,

"I don't know why they're still there… that Appendectomy one survived my last Ascension."

He closed his eyes, shifting a little as her hand moved under the waistband of his boxers, travelling around the back as she caressed his smooth skin. In reply, he lifted her pyjama top and then paused, saying with a frown as her caresses stopped,

"You haven't worn pyjamas since we first moved in together… you always wear that t-shirt."

She remarked, her eyes sparkling with amusement and mischief, "I didn't think it a good idea with the General in the other room, liable to jump in, in case I got into trouble."

She then asked, looking shy, "Do you like them?"

He remarked with an appreciative smile as his hand went back under her top, "Samantha, there really isn't anything that you could wear that doesn't look good."

She smiled and kissed him, retorting with a smile that he had longed to see since he had left, "Flattery will get you nowhere, Jackson… our daughter's present."

He asked, smoothing her cheek, "Are you tired?"

She shook her head and he sat up, gently and carefully manoeuvring her so that she was sat in between his legs, leaning back into his embrace. He wrapped his arms around her, saying with a soft sigh,

"I've wanted to hold you for so long."

She caressed the hands that clasped her bump, replying with a sad glint in her eyes, "We've got a lot of lost time to get through."

He lifted one of his hands to play with her hair and planted a kiss at the base of her neck, noting that she still wore her St Christopher. She turned slowly in his embrace until she was sat across his lap, and she slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him, long and deep. She groaned softly as he reciprocated, and when they parted, he rested his forehead against hers, both of them breathless, and he remarked with a chuckle, his eyes shut,

"That's another thing I've missed."

She ran her fingers through his hair and then said as she went back to sitting between his legs, "Give me your hand."

He, confused, stretched his hand out at her side and she, smiling mysteriously, took her St Christopher off, taking his wedding band off it, having kept it there since he had Ascended. She placed the band on his finger and he gasped softly in surprise, asking,

"Sam?"

She leaned in his embrace, smoothing his arm as she said, "I don't want you sleeping anywhere else, Daniel. I love you, I never stopped loving you and…"

Tears running down his cheeks, he whispered, kissing her shoulder and holding her hand, "Same here, fy Gwenhwyfar. Je t'aime."

He held her tighter and continued, "I felt so empty up there… all that power at my disposal but it didn't mean anything without you."

She turned to gaze up at him, replied as she reached up to dry his tears, "I felt empty too… I couldn't feel you or talk to you any time I wanted. It made me realise just how much I take you for granted… and made me really appreciate the little things that you do, which in reality, aren't that little."

He blushed, knowing that she wouldn't take an argument, and she kissed him, her arms around his neck, and they rested their foreheads together, their eyes closed as they readjusted to normality.


	28. Sod's Law

"Nope, I can't… what if…"

Sam rolled her eyes and remarked as Jack and Cassie wore twin smirks, watching the proceedings with great interest, "No. I'm not due for another couple of weeks… just go. Nothing's going to happen."

Daniel, looking worried, sat at Sam's feet saying as he held her hand, "Every one of our children came before their due dates… what makes Grace any different?"

"Daniel, the park's only a couple of minutes away… and our Juniors could use a little adventure."

Cassie said with a little shrug, "Hey, if Daniel doesn't want to go, I'll ta…"

Sam shook her head, much to Jack's amusement as Cassie looked a little insolent, and the Astrophysicist said, glancing at Jack, "He needs some Daddy-time with them."

Jack remarked, unable to stop his smirking, "That would be _Mommy_-time for our resident Jimmy Osmond."

Daniel looked at Jack scathingly for a moment as Sam ducked her head to hide a smile, and the Archaeologist sighed and said grudgingly, "Ok… as long as you're sure."

Sam smiled and he got to his knees to give her a kiss, continuing as he caressed her cheek, maintaining eye contact for a long moment, "I won't be long."

She briefly caressed his neck and then he got up, patting her shoulder gently as he called to the older twins playing in a corner of the lounge while their siblings took a mid-afternoon nap in their playpen, "Cammie, James, come on, we're going on an adventure."

Cammie and James looked up and were about to get up when Daniel gently chided them, "Put your toys away first."

The twins put their toys away and Cammie asked, "Where we going?"

James blew a raspberry and said, "Park."

Daniel said quietly, scolding him, "James, don't do that. It's rude."

James turned around and grinned at him, feigning total and utter innocence as Cassie and Jack exchanged a glance with guarded amusement, and Sam covered her mouth to hide a smile. The Astrophysicist remarked fondly as she looked up at the Archaeologist while the twins ran into the hallway,

"He gets that from you."

Daniel simply smiled as he gazed at her for a moment and then he left, saying gently, "We'll be back soon."

Jack glanced at Cassie who shrugged, and the General looked at Sam, perplexed and worried as the twins, now in their coats, ran to their mother, clambering onto her. Sam, smiling, kissed them both, saying as she caressed their cheeks,

"Enjoy your adventure."

James asked with a pout that made her smile more, "You're not coming?"

Sam shook her head and said, a regretful glint in her eyes, "Not today… I've got to look after your new sister."

Cammie rested her head on her mother's shoulder as James patted Sam's bump, saying to it, "Bye-bye, baby. Stay there."

Sam smiled at him in amusement and then said quietly, "Go on, you two… you'll never get out at this rate. I'll see you later."

She hugged them as best she could and watched as they went to Daniel, the Archaeologist holding their hands and she said, trying to stop the tears surging in her eyes, "Bye."

After Daniel and the twins had left, Jack said, looking at Sam oddly, "Ok Carter, out with it. What's up with you two? You're usually joking back and forth but I'm not seeing much of that. What's going on?"

Sam shook her head wistfully as she rested her head on the back of the couch, and she replied quietly, her gaze fallen, "It's hard, Sir… He blames himself and I blame myself for what happened. It's really put a strain on things."

Cassie moved to sit on the arm of the couch nearest Sam, and she said, smoothing the Astrophysicist's hair, hugging her sideways, "He does love you, Sam, and I know that you love him… you'll get through it. I don't think the baby's helped matters though."

Sam closed her eyes in the younger woman's embrace, replying quietly, "I know. So much has happened since he left."

Jack asked with a huff, "Do you want me to have words with Space Monkey?"

"Thanks Sir, but it's something that we have to work through."

He remarked sceptically, "Alright, but if you're not shooting jokes back and forth soon, I'm zatting the both of you. Work on it… that's an order. Something like the thing you and Daniel have – or had – is priceless."

--------------------

As Sam lay on the couch, reaching down to the floor to participate in a game of Monopoly with Jack and Cassie, she winced. Jack and Cassie, instantly alert, looked up, the Hankan asking as she quickly went to Sam's side, holding her hand,

"Sam?"

Sam shook her head and said, closing her eyes briefly, "Sorry, just a little twinge."

Cassie looked at her, worried, and Jack remarked, worried nonetheless, "Would that be a normal twinge… or a Jackson twinge, which is the equivalent of being stabbed in the stomach fifty times with a rusty dagger during a Vancouver Canucks game?"

Sam chuckled weakly, retorting, "You know, Teal'c's not going to take it too nicely if he hears that you've been badmouthing the Canucks again, Sir."

"Pfft, he's just sour because I bet against them the last time."

Sam sighed, opening her eyes and smiled gratefully at Cassie, squeezing her hand and she reached down to take her turn when suddenly she gasped. Jack lifted her blanket as Cassie helped her to sit up, and grimaced, remarking as he got up,

"Don't you dare call that a twinge – your water's burst."

Sam shook her head and said, "No… it's just gas…"

"Don't make me bring SG-3 in, Carter. My new goddaughter is coming whether you like it or not."

Cassie took a deep breath and then took charge as Jack grabbed a phone, saying, "Ok Sam, breathe. Come on, in and out. Help's coming."

Sam closed her eyes and focussed on her breathing as Cassie helped her to lie down again. She then said, looking up at Cassie, scared, "Cassie, she's not going to wait. You're going to have to help her out."

Cassie, scared but for a different reason, said, shaking her head as she remembered a mother and baby that she couldn't save at a Somali refugee camp, "I… I can't."

Sam replied, gasping as the pain grew, "You can, honey. I know you can."

Cassie gazed at her for a moment and then with a resigned nod, went to the delivery end as a worried Jack brought in towels and a bowl of water. The General kneeled at Sam's side as she wept, holding her hand right as Cam came in. The southern Colonel blinked slowly in surprise before snapping into action and kneeling next to Jack, smoothing her abdomen as she cried out.

Jack said, stressed out, "Of all the times for that guy to go out!"

Cam asked, looking at Sam in concern and worry, "Where's Jackson?"

Sam replied, gasping and crying, "He's gone to the park with the twins… I told him to go. Agh!"

Noting that Cassie looked apprehensive, Cam asked, "Cass, do you need some help? I birthed a cow once…"

As Jack looked on in amusement, Cassie shaking her head and whispering her thanks, Sam retorted, Jack mopping her brow with a damp flannel, "Gee thanks, Cam…"

Cam remarked with a shrug, "Well, while you're down…"

--------------------

At the park, Daniel pushed Cammie on a swing as James, on another swing, called, "Daddy!"

Daniel said gently, "Junior, I already pushed you."

"'s not high enough."

The Archaeologist remarked fondly, "You're just like your Mommy… Daddy's scared of heights."

"Silly Daddy."

"Yes silly Daddy… fine, give me a sec."

He pushed Cammie once more and then moved behind James, giving him a good push. The boy squealed with laughter as he moved in a gentle upward slope, calling,

"Weeeeeeeeee!"

Daniel smiled in amusement and then closed his eyes, gasping as he sensed something. Making sure no-one was watching, he stopped the swings with a discreet wave of his hand and as the twins looked disappointed, Daniel said, grabbing their hands as he almost ran from the park,

"We've got to go home… Mommy's in trouble."

Wanting to get home faster, he picked up a complaining Cammie over his shoulder, James in his other arm as he sprinted home. Cammie asked, her voice vibrating due to the bumpy ride,

"Daddy? What's wrong wi' Mommy?"

"I think your new sister's coming."

"Now?"

"Oh yes. She's got Uncle Jack's timing – she drops in when she feels like it."

Daniel, reaching the house and somehow managing to unlock the door, carefully dropped the twins in the hallway, threw his coat off and ran into the lounge, calling his wife's name. He found her surrounded by Jack, SG-1 and Cassie, the Astrophysicist screaming in pain as the Hankan coached her through pushing. His team-mates looked up on hearing his voice and Jack remarked,

"Jesus, took you long enough."

The General got up to take care of the twins with Teal'c and Jonas as Daniel knelt by Sam's side, holding her hand tightly. Sam, opening her eyes, whispered breathlessly,

"I knew you'd come."

He tenderly kissed her forehead, whispering back, "Always."

She shut her eyes, the lower half of her body rising momentarily as she screamed her way through a push, and Cassie called, feeling a little more confident as Carolyn raced in, murmuring apologies, "Almost there, Sam. You are doing so well. Not long left now."

Daniel remarked as he looked at Cam kneeling next to him, "All four births."

Cam replied with a little smile as he continued to smooth Sam's bump, "Oh, you can't get rid of me, Jackson… and I seem to remember someone being at Francis' entrance."

Vala remarked, wincing at the memory, "If Francis ever becomes famous, the kitchen of your old house is going to be a place of pilgrimage for all his _groupies._"

Cam smiled at his wife as Daniel grimaced at Sam squeezing his hand as she screamed. Cassie called, glancing at Carolyn kneeling next to her,

"Just one more, push. One more and then you can rest."

Daniel gently kissed his wife, whispering with tears in his eyes, "You've done this three times already, honey. You can do this. I believe in you."

Cam added, "And they've all been SG births."

Sam let out a loud scream as she channelled her available resources in one big push, amassing energy and willpower and injuring her husband's hand. Cassie smiled in relief as sighted a head and she, now wearing the surgical gloves that Carolyn had given her, supported the baby's head and neck as it slowly slid out. She said as an exhausted Sam flopped back in exhaustion,

"You kicked ass."

Carolyn took charge with checking the baby over, bathing it and wrapping it in a towel as it took its first breath, screaming. As a proudly smiling Daniel kissed a tired Sam, Carolyn handed the baby to Cassie, who began to cry as the Chief Medical Officer said with an admiring smile,

"So did you. Well done."

Looking overcome, Cassie gazed down at the squirming new addition to the Carter-Jackson household, stroking its cheek as she whispered, "Hello."

Smiling through her tears, she made her way to a shakily smiling Daniel, saying, "Congratulations… it's a girl."

Daniel carefully took the baby from her and then with equal carefulness, hugged her tight, whispering, "You did so well, Cassie. I'm so proud of you. You've brought my daughter into the world – I owe you so much… _we_ owe you."

He kissed her cheek as she continued to cry, mostly out of relief and Vala hugged her, Cam smoothing her hair. Daniel smiled down at his new daughter and then kissed his wife, whispering,

"I never understood how you did it the last three times, honey, or this time, but you're far stronger than I am. I love you."

Sam remarked weakly as she smiled slightly, "I think you'd better save the flattery until I'm fit enough to keep my eyes open for longer than a minute… Oh, I am so not having another baby."

Jack remarked as he poked his head into the lounge, "That means protection, Dannyboy. The lady has spoken."


	29. Father to Father, and Mother

After coming back from the mountain where Carolyn performed full medical examinations on Sam and the baby, Daniel made sure that his wife was tucked up in bed, as well as his older children, before going downstairs, holding his new daughter. The lights dimmed in the lounge, he stood next to the window, watching the snowflakes against the night sky as he held the baby girl close to him. He gently caressed the back of her fair head as she squirmed, and he whispered,

"You're a very special girl…"

He gazed out of the window as he continued, tenderly kissing her temple, "I should have been here much earlier. Mommy shouldn't have had to go through what she had by herself."

He sighed and then, sensing Jack's presence, he turned around, looking sad and weary as he said, watching the older man leaning in the doorway, "Jack."

Jack replied quietly, his eye on the baby, "Daniel."

The older man turned the lights back up and sat on an armchair in a silent invitation. Daniel sighed and, glancing down at the baby, went to the couch. Jack asked, starting casual,

"You ok?"

Daniel shrugged, replying, "Yeah… you?"

"Yeah. So…"

Jack let out a long breath and then said, watching his best friend closely, "Daniel, Carter needs you the most, especially right now. Don't hold back."

Daniel frowned in bewilderment and a little indignation, and Jack remarked, waving dismissively, "Just some advice… the poor girl's been crying for you every night for the past almost-year…"

He continued, standing up and walking to the window, looking back at the Archaeologist, "You're the only one who ever made her happy. Because of you, she has done so much, and has become so confident… And you… hell, you're never seen without a smile on your face. Trust me. Something like the thing that you and Carter _had_ is something that you don't want to lose. Stop being so damn scared."

Daniel gazed down at the baby in his arms, about to argue when he sighed resignedly.

He replied quietly and deprecatingly, "Sam doesn't deserve an idiot. Any other guy would have been there through her last two pregnancies, holding her hand, but I wasn't. What does bringing enlightenment to a distant planet have on being there for my wife?"

Jack stared at his friend in confusion as he continued, looking ashamed as he met the older man's gaze, "I can't get anything right. In the original timeline, I was the one who sent my wife and unborn children to their deaths, and in Grace's timeline, I couldn't even come home to see my new daughter. What kind of a husband and father am I?"

Daniel covered his eyes briefly to discreetly stem the tears that threatened to fall, and Jack kneeled before the Archaeologist and said, smirking briefly, "Space Monkey… come on… None of that was your fault. I swear, 95 percent of the gross national guilt belongs to you."

He continued as he smoothed the younger man's hair back affectionately, "You and Carter are made for each other… in a good way. Don't give up on it. Carter is such a… hell, she's unique, and you deserve her every bit."

Daniel shook his head and Jack, smiling slightly at his friend being his true self, patted the younger man's knee and said before getting up, "You need each other. You're not as highly strung as you used to be, and she's just so relaxed and confident."

Jack sat back in the armchair again, watching his friend think things over. Eventually, as he watched the baby drift off to sleep, the Archaeologist looked up, his face glowing with the joy of being a father again, and he said pensively, "Thanks Jack."

"Hey anytime. I want to see you two joking again. You used to have the funniest little scraps just for the hell of it."

Daniel blushed as he gazed down at his daughter, and Jack asked softly, watching father and daughter with a little smile, "You named her yet?"

Daniel sighed, the sound happier than before as he replied, meeting Jack's gaze, "I think the writing's been on the wall for a while now."

"Ah… sure, but your other girls' names begin with 'C'."

"Change is good."

"You don't want her being the odd one out."

"Well, it's my mother-in-law's name and 'G's vaguely look like 'C's."

Jack paused for thought and then remarked, raising a finger briefly, "Here's an idea… how about if you call her Catherine Grace? As I seem to recall from some obscure part of my memory, probably the seventies… I mean, everything _before_ basic training is a blur to me anyway… 'G's can sometimes be used in place of 'J's."

Daniel looked briefly surprised and then smiled before saying with a shrug, "I guess I'll have to talk to Sam about it when she's feeling better. Thanks."

"Hey, no problem… my nieces and nephews are going to be little Space Monkeys."

Daniel smiled as he gazed down at Grace, saying as he carefully got up, "I better put your youngest Space Monkey in her crib."

--------------------

Later, after talking a little more with Jack, Daniel slipped into his and Sam's room, finding his wife asleep, her hand on his pillow. He took his pyjama bottoms off and lay next to her, gazing at her lovingly. He caressed her hair and shoulder, and then wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her close.

She murmured something incomprehensible against his chest as she instinctively snuggled up to him, and he gently planted a tender kiss on her neck. He reached over her to turn the light off and just lay there in the dark, listening to the soft sounds of her breathing and feeling her steady heartbeat, savouring the sounds and sensations of corporeal life that he had missed so much during his time away.

After around an hour of silent re-familiarisation, he felt as though something in his mind had switched on, louder than the quiet chaos he had sensed whilst she slept, and he kissed her hair, whispering as he sensed her pain, discomfort and weariness, "How are you feeling?"

"Like hell."

She turned the light on with a brief wave of her hand, much to his surprise, and she said, gazing at him, worried, "Daniel, I'm scared."

He held her tighter, replying, "Me too… it's ok, we'll get through this."

He paused and said, stroking her shoulder, "I love you. I'll always love you, and I'm going to resign."

Surprised, she turned over in his embrace, gazing down at him as she said, one of his hands reaching up to play with one of the long strands of fair hair that fell around her face, "No, Daniel. Please don't quit your job."

"There's no way I'm changing my mind. You matter more to me than everything. Maybe I'll go back to the mountain in the future but right now, I'm not leaving you."

Tears surging in her eyes, she rested her head on his chest and said gently, "You mean more to me than everything else too…"

She raised herself to look at him and asked, worried, "But will the General let us?"

"He'll have no choice. He can rant and threaten all he wants, but…"

She smiled and remarked affectionately, "Cover model for Stubbornness Oct-Weekly."

He smiled up at her, replying, "Junior is going to be so much like Jack."

"Well, it's fun teasing you."

When she rested her head on his chest once again, he gently rubbed her neck and back, and she remarked wearily, "If I'd known we were going to have the Jackson Five, I think I would have taken the General's jokes seriously."

He ran his fingers through her hair and then she raised herself to look down at him again, continued, "I swear, if this ends up like 'Cheaper by the Dozen', _someone_ is getting major surgery."

He retorted with a frown, "Well, I'm sorry that my non-corporeal form didn't come with Prophylactics."

She sat up, angry as she held onto the edge of the bed, shooting back, "It's easy for you to say… you were up there all glowing while I was stuck down here getting into trouble, and our children's lives were put at risk. Even the Doctor couldn't get me back from that other Universe."

Growing angry, he retorted, throwing his hands up, "Well why don't you just go and marry him then?! For God's sake, Sam, at least have the decency to tell me to my face that I'm worthless!"

She shot back, absolutely seething, "He was there and you weren't."

"I should have known!"

He got up quickly and went to the door, an upset Sam calling his name as he angrily pulled his pyjama bottoms back on. He turned around and remarked bitterly, "I don't want to share a bed with someone who would rather that I was a time travelling alien with a blue box."

Her eyes pleading with him, she exclaimed, "How can you say that?!"

Shaking his head resignedly, he stormed out and down the stairs to reflect in the lounge as Sam began to cry, a huge rainstorm raging outside. A moment later, Jack knocked on the door, poking his head in and asking, casually concerned

"Trouble?"

Sam shook her head and whispered, clutching her pillow to her stomach, "I don't know what happened, Sir. It just descended into… I don't even know what it descended into."

"Space Monkey's tense. I'm sure he didn't mean it. Despite being what he is, he's still acts like total and utter guy sometimes. You ok?"

She nodded against the pillow, replying quietly, "I'm fine, Sir. Maybe I should go after him."

"Ah, ah, ah, stay there Carter. I'll have words with him. No-one talks to my second-in-command like that. You stay there."

"Sir…"

"No, stay there. That's an order."

She rolled her eyes and said, half-bemused, "We're not on duty, Sir."

"Carter, I'm always on duty. Now hush up."

She sighed as he, with a smile and a little wave, disappeared to go downstairs, leaving her to wonder whether her husband would use his powers on their former CO.

--------------------

Jack found the Archaeologist in the kitchen, clutching the edge of the sink so tightly that his knuckles were not only white but trembling too. Without turning around, Daniel said, his voice as tense as his back muscles,

"Don't, Jack. Just don't."

Jack sighed and remarked with characteristic casualness as he leaned against a countertop, a worried Cassie peeking in from the doorway, "Don't what? I've just come down to find out why my buddy's looking tenser than Teal'c when the Canucks are lagging behind."

Daniel shook his head, taking a deep breath and then he said quietly, his head bowed over the sink, "I'm a fool. What made me think that I ever deserved her? From the start, I've put her through hell, and she still stood by me."

Jack raised his eyebrows, saying, a little excited, "See! There's a reason why Carter stood by you."

"Because I'm on her team. I'm her responsibility."

"Dammit Daniel, she's in love with you, that's why!"

Daniel spun around and said, his face anguished, "That's not true. Who the hell in their right mind would love me?"

He continued, his face downcast, "I just bring pain wherever I go. If I hadn't gone to Abydos with you guys, Sha're would still be alive and happily married to…"

Jack, frustrated, shook Daniel's shoulders and exclaimed, "Jesus Christ, would you just listen to yourself?! If you… that's right… _you_… if you hadn't had been there, that planet would still have Ra doing the god thing over them and me and my men would be blown sky high by that damned nuke along with your in-laws."

He continued, his voice quieter as he remembered all those years ago, "I owe you my life… many times over… we all do."

Looking at the Archaeologist looking so desolate and upset, he added, "If it hadn't been for you, the 'gate would still be gathering dust in an unused missile silo. If it hadn't been for you, Abydos' people would all be gone. If it hadn't been for you, there wouldn't be a Stargate programme whatsoever, but if someone else had managed to open the 'gate, we wouldn't have the allies that we do now.

"You have pulled through the crap that life through at you and for once, for once, you are getting some happiness. Don't waste it or think any less of yourself. You are way better than you give yourself credit for… ok, that probably made me sound gay and I'll probably have Carter coming in any second now to pick a fight with me, but you need to know what you mean to me, the team, the mountain."

Daniel released a long breath and then closed his eyes and began to cry. Jack, gazing at him sadly, pulled him into a tight hug, whispering as he rubbed the younger man's upper back, "Ssshh… it's ok… let it all out."

As a now crying Cassie quickly backed away, running quietly upstairs as a worried Sam slowly made her way down and not getting anything from the younger woman, Daniel whispered against the older man's shoulder, his voice wavering with emotion, "She still doesn't deserve an idiot like me."

"At the risk of being maimed, you're both idiots and you're made for each other. Live with it."

"Sorry…"

"Hey come on, we're past that now, Space Monkey."

Daniel, embarrassed, straightened up to dry his eyes as Jack patted him on the shoulder, saying quietly, "It's going to be ok, Daniel. It's going to work out."

Exhaling, Daniel replied, "Thanks."

"No problem. You really did need that."

Daniel looked down at the floor and then went back to holding the edge of the sink, his head bowed in thought. Jack, sighing quietly, patted him on the shoulder and said, "When you're ready, go eat some Humble pie… if there's anything that Carter doesn't deserve, it's been shouted at."

Daniel nodded and Jack, watching him for a moment, turned to leave when he spotted a worried Sam in the doorway. He raised his eyebrows briefly and left without a word as Sam smiled at him slightly in thanks. He patted her on the shoulder on his way back upstairs, and she stepped forward, noting how tense Daniel's shoulders appeared.

Daniel, eventually sensing her presence in amongst his inner maelstrom, turned and said, his eyes on the floor, "I'm sorry."

He met her gaze, overwhelming sadness in his eyes as he continued, "You of all people didn't deserve short shrift like that. I'm sorry. I've just been…"

He hung his head back for a moment, in thought, and then he said with a sigh, "… tense. I feel so low and empty."

She wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her head on his shoulder as his arms hesitantly came around her, and she replied, gazing at his chest, "It could be withdrawal symptoms. You were kind of different after you came back from being semi-ascended. You were more distant. It's probably a by-product of being converted into energy and then back into corporeal form again."

He gently rested his chin on the top of her head and replied, closing his eyes, "It could be that… but I think it's also to do with this being a stark contrast to what we were like before I ascended. We can still feel each other but that's more to do with our powers than any sort of link."

She remarked as his fingers travelled through her hair, "I didn't think you wanted to be reminded what it's like be post-natal."

He sighed and then asked, frowning as he remembered something, "Sam?"

"Yep?"

"Why didn't anyone come to find me when you went into labour?"

She replied as she draped an arm across his chest, gently rubbing his other shoulder, "Cam and Jonas were going to sprint out when you came dashing in."

She grinned as she met his gaze, adding, "I guess they didn't think you'd sense I was giving birth."

He kissed her temple, remarking with a distant expression, "I wouldn't have missed it… I don't think I would have forgiven myself if I did. I've missed out on so much."

She stretched up to kiss him gently, initiating a slow kiss. When they parted, holding onto each other, she said, resting her head on his shoulder again, "Don't, Daniel. Let's leave the past in the past. We're together now with our… _quintet_… and there is no-one else I'd rather be with…"

She exhaled and met his gaze once again, saying with a smile as he gazed down at her, "… _not_ because you're on my team, but because you're the only one I ever want to be with… because I love you and only you."

She sighed and continued, her gaze fallen, "I kinda pieced it together about the Doctor and me…"

She looked up at him again, remarking, "My heart apparently always belonged to my Archaeologist."

Tears surged in his eyes and he closed his eyes as he rested his cheek on her hair, murmuring, "I have a funny story too… my heart always belonged to that Astrophysicist of mine."

"Wow, we have so much in common."

He smiled in amusement as he looked down at her again, remarking as his cheeks reddened, "Do you think they'll mind if we snuck away together for a bit?"

"Maybe not… but seeing as it's only been less than a day since I gave birth, thanks to your little glowy thing again, I don't think it's a good idea if we went too far… _although_, I wouldn't mind showering with you again."

He gently kissed her, replying, "I'd like that too. Come on, let's go before they get any wiser and hunt us down."

"Are you kidding, they're seeing each other…"


	30. New Year

New Year's Eve, the Carter-Jackson household abuzz with most of the mountain, including SG-1, the Jacks, Uncle George and a newly engaged Lorne and Jennifer, Sam sat next to Daniel on the piano bench, leaning her head on his shoulder as he played, talking to her softly while she held Grace; Claire, Jacob, Francis and Helen clambering noisily over Teal'c while Cassie talked to him. Daniel glanced back, amused, to see Cammie and James hiding under a table and taking turns to reach up and steal food off a bewildered Jack's plate when he wasn't looking.

Jonas slid under the table and when the older twins turned to him, looking as though butter wouldn't melt in their mouths, he asked, laughing quietly, "Aren't you worried that Uncle Jack's going to find out?"

James giggled as Cammie replied with a shrug, "It's 'is fault for not looking."

Claire joined them under the table and Cammie rolled her eyes as James smoothed their younger sister's cheek, the older girl saying in a hushed voice, "Claire, go away. Uncle Jack's gonna find us."

Claire squealed with laughter and James said defensively, "She's got smaller hands."

Jonas, amused, watched as James held Claire, gently guiding her arm up out of the table, and then Jack suddenly poked his head under, remarking as the three Carter-Jackson children simultaneously squealed, "Y'know, I figured it out a while back… but your Mommy's gonna be worried about your calorie intake."

Cammie continued to squeal as Jack tickled her, and the General continued as Claire climbed onto Jonas, "So… Jonas… You've been helping them, or have they been helping you?"

"I only just discovered them."

"Sure…"

Jonas smiled and Jack returned the smile, his frostiness towards the Kelownan over Daniel's radiation-induced death having faded somewhat, and then the General said to the children, "No more goodies for you… you'll get pot-bellies and your Mommy would kill me. Her and your Daddy, when they're angry… hoo, you don't want to be on the same planet as them…"

Cammie looked disappointed and then nudged James, who glanced at her and then smiled briefly before pouting, looking ready to cry. Jonas remarked, ruffling the little boy's slightly darker fair hair,

"You could never resist Daniel looking like that."

"True… and this one's a Space Monkey too."

Jack looked at James and said, "Ok buddy, I'll give you one more piece of pie… _but_, you have to go embarrass your Uncle Lorne again, seeing as Uncle McMeredith is away. You can do that… I do it all the time. Deal?"

James thought about it for a moment and then said, grinning, "Deal, Uncle Jack."

"Right… come on out and work your magic."

James, still grinning, shook his head and then Jack, amused, pulled the now giggling boy out from under the table and called, everyone laughing including the parents, "Call the Cops, I found the Ham Burglar!"

Jonas emerged from under the table with Cammie and Claire, and Vala called out, "And Jonas just found his accomplices! Not bad for a day's work!"

Claire began to struggle to be put down, sounding upset as she noticed everyone looking at her, so Jonas lowered her to the ground and she toddled away, looking shy. Daniel picked her up onto his lap, kissing her cheek and asking as he held her hands, gazing down at her,

"Sweetie, what's wrong?"

Claire rested her head on her father's chest, whispering, "Don't wanna go there."

Daniel, smiling slightly, gazed across at Sam, who remarked in amusement, "She gets that from you."

He retorted, glancing behind him to see Uncle George talking to Jennifer, James on his knee, "Or from you. I seem to remember Uncle George saying that you used to hide when he came to see Dad… I'm not sure where Cammie and James teasing Jack comes into the equation though."

Sam leaned over to kiss him on the cheek, replying quietly, her eyes dancing with laughter, "It could be from both of us."

He returned her kiss, remarking as he reached over to touch Grace's cheek as she yawned, "Teasing Jack is fun."

Mini-Jack remarked as he stood behind them, his hands on their shoulders, "Oh yeah, take the piss why don't you? My Uncle Jack could Smackdown you both."

Daniel tilted his head to one side as he retorted, his eyebrows raised as he looked up at the younger man, "Jack… I don't think Smackdown's a genuine verb."

"Sure it is… just like Google."

"Yes, but Smackdown is the name of a professional wrestling tournament and a PS-2 game… it's a noun."

"So's Google."

"But you can _Google_ something, meaning using Google to search for something... You wouldn't seriously perform a wrestling move on someone unless you were a ten year old kid or wanted to get arrested. Why say Smackdown instead of _inflict violence on_?"

"That's why…"

Mini-Jack looked at an amused Sam, remarking, "Jesus, you geeks… this is probably something you talk about late at night… No wonder you have five kids within five years."

Sam and Daniel promptly blushed and he walked away, hands in pockets, looking for some more havoc to wreak, his eye moving to Lorne for a moment. Uncle George, holding Jacob in his arms, approached them and Daniel quickly got up, offering him his seat when the retired General said with a little smile,

"No need, Daniel… stay where you are."

Noticing Sam looking ready to get up, he added with soft smile, "You too, Sam."

Sam asked as he and Daniel swapped twins, "How are you finding the party, Uncle George?"

The older man replied with a fond smile as Claire clung onto his shirt, "Oh, it's just swell… I've been talkin' to Doctor Keller. She had some interesting stories about Atlantis… it's a good thing, one way, that Sara couldn't come."

Sam and Daniel exchanged a glance, and Uncle George asked, "There's just one thing I can't work out… how do you get all your children together? You both seem so calm for parents-of-five."

Sam and Daniel glanced at each other again, this time smiling knowingly and she said softly, "Go on Daniel."

Daniel smiled slightly and put Jacob down on the floor, the little boy promptly scampering away to play with Francis and Helen, and then the Archaeologist began to play Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Within seconds, as Claire managed to get herself out of Uncle George's hold, the four older Carter-Jackson children gathered around their father, who looked up at a surprised ex-General. Uncle George remarked fondly,

"You're going to need that when they get older."

Daniel retorted, an innocently mischievous smile on his face, "Oh… especially if they take after Mommy…"

Sam elbowed him, saying with laughter, "You're the one with the pout."

--------------------

Later, after all of the children had been placed upstairs to sleep, the adults gathered in the lounge, watching the snow through the window, and waiting for 2012. Sam, Teal'c's and Cam's arms around her, laughed as Jack cracked a joke at the Archaeologist's expense, and Teal'c remarked,

"Producing a state of embarrassment within DanielJackson is as old as the mounds."

Cam, laughing, his other arm around Vala, said, "_Hills_, T… it's _old as the hills._"

"It is simply a matter of translation, ColonelMitchell."

"Aw come on, you did that on purpose."

"That fact was implicit and did not require indication."

Jack remarked with a clap of his hands as the countdown began, "That's our T-man."

Vala added, laughing as she looked at Teal'c and then Cam, "We can count on Muscles to misappropriate your Earth language with humorous consequences."

Teal'c simply smiled at her as everyone else laughed, and then concentrated on the countdown as Daniel rushed in from the kitchen. They all cheered as the ball descended in Times Square on the television, and then hugged. Daniel, who had sidled up to Sam during the last seconds of the countdown, gently stooped to kiss her, caressing her cheek as Cam kissed Vala, Teal'c stepping away out of politeness.

When they parted, gazing at each other, he said with a little smile, "Happy new year, honey."

"Right back at you."

"I know what my resolution is."

Smiling up at him as his arms came around her, her own arms around his waist, "What?"

He kissed her softly as the Jacks made vomiting noises on seeing them, Cam and Vala, Jonas and Carolyn, and Lorne and Keller kissing, and replied, "To never leave your side."

Tears in her eyes, she hugged him and whispered as she caressed his neck, "Let's hope nothing comes in between you and that."

He hugged her tight, replying as he kissed her hair, "I hope so too."


	31. Light the Skies

_Lyrics featured are Rule the World by Take That, the video of which just screams this story to me. lol. I was going to put it in the chapter before this one but then there has to be magic involved, what with that film... : D_

_So... last chapter! Yikes! I can scarcely believe it... mind you, I haven't been able to write as much as before what with Uni and basketball this year, but it's been a good ride. There'll be another sequel... I'm open to requests with that one (all except changing the main 'ship to SamAnyone else and DanielAnyone else... that would be nuts. Ok, I know I kind of did that when the Doctor was around, but things didn't really go anywhere with him (it was implied that in the future they had something but Daniel was always in the way))._

_Thanks for the reviews, story favourites, and story alerts! Always nice to know that there are peeps regularly reading as well as reviewing (Chem Girl, HOUSEM.D.FanForever and CanadianHalliwell!)... it gives me something to smile about while thrashing some PHP code. Lol._

_Thanks!_

_--------------------_

"_You light the skies, up above me  
A star, so bright, you blind me, yeah   
Don't close your eyes  
Don't fade away, don't fade away_

Oh..."

Later that night, after everyone else had gone home, Jack to be with Sara, Sam lay in Daniel's arms, the two of them silently taking in each other's presence and reflecting on the events of the past few hours. As his fingers tapped out a steady, gentle rhythm on her shoulder, she raised herself above him and gazed down at him. He tenderly reached up to play with a strand of her hair, asking softly,

"Are you sure? We could just get used to being boring old humans again." __

"_Yeah you and me we can ride on a star  
If you stay with me girl  
We can rule the world-  
Yeah you and me we can light up the sky  
If you stay by my side  
We can rule the world..._"

She pressed a kiss to his jaw, retorting with a smile, "We had some fun before we turned Ancient."

He replied as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close with a playfully happy sigh, "Oh, that is so true..."__

"_If walls break down, I will comfort you  
If angels cry, oh I'll be there for you  
You've saved my soul  
Don't leave me now, don't leave me now_

Oh..."

"... although I guess we could never be as close as were whilst linked."

She remarked, "The question here is whether you want to feel post natal again."

Gently kissing her, he replied, feeling her heartbeat, "You saved my soul so many times, Sam, and brought me home more times than I'd like to think about... The least I can do is to share your pain."__

"_Yeah you and me we can ride on a star  
If you stay with me girl  
We can rule the world  
Yeah you and me, we can light up the sky  
If you stay by my side  
We can rule the world..._"

She smiled, tears in her eyes and he tenderly cradled the side of her face in his hand as he gazed at her, and she, placing a hand on his chest, kissed him. They held each other's gaze for a long moment, focussing on each other as white light began to surge around them, engulfing them and only them.__

"_Ooooooooh_

All the stars are coming out tonight  
They're lighting up the sky tonight  
For you, for you  
All the stars are coming out tonight   
They're lighting up the sky tonight  
For you, for you..."

Soon, they felt as though they were communing, merging into one person. Both of them began to cry in relief at the feeling of being whole again, and he whispered silently as he stroked her cheek, feeling her feelings and she his,

'_It's like coming home again._'

She nodde, overcome with everything, and rested her head on his chest as his arms came around her again, and then they closed their eyes.__

"_Ooooooooh _

Yeah you and me we can ride on a star  
If you stay with me girl  
We can rule the world  
Yeah you and me, we can light up the sky  
If you stay by my side  
We can rule the world..."

They soon felt as though they were soaring together through the Cosmos, whizzing past star systems and galaxies. Holding his hand, she gazed around herself on the journey, asking,

"Daniel?"

He laughed, the sound carefree as he replied, "We're in your mind."

Surprised, she turned to see a supernova, and asked, looking back at him, "Yours is a desert with glowing balls and I have the Universe?"

"It's a representation of your psyche, and seeing as you're a devoted Astrophysicist..."__

"_All the stars are coming out tonight (oooooooh)  
They're lighting up the sky tonight  
For you, for you..._"

He waved his hand and suddenly they were over the Milky Way, seeing the stars and galactic arms in all their breathtaking clarity.

_  
_"_All the stars are coming out tonight  
They're lighting up the sky tonight  
For you,for you..."_

"Ok, fy Gwenhwyfar, I lied... a bit. We're actually on a tour of the local Universe... but we started out in your mind."__

"_All the stars, are coming out tonight  
They're lighting up the sky tonight  
For you, for you..._"

Admittedly shocked, she asked, worried, "What about our Jackson Five?"

"We're not really here... if anyone cries, we'll here them."

"Ah, virtual reality?"

"You could say that."

_  
_"_All the stars, are coming out tonight  
They're lighting up the sky tonight  
For you,for you..._"

They hovered above the galaxy and kissed against the stellar background, fireworks inexplicably erupting around them.

'_Daniel, I really hope your Ancient VR unit didn't just shortcircuit. _'

'_That was me._'

'_No more beans for you._'

'_Saaaam!_'

-----------------

_Thanks for reading! Reviews are always highly appreciated. : )_


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